Source: Bahá'í Library Online (bahai-library.com), curated by Jonah Winters. Used by permission of the curator. Original citation: Robert Riggs, The Apocalypse: An Exegesis, bahai-library.com.
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The Apocalypse:
An Exegesis
by Robert Riggs
1998-12

Table of Contents
DISCLAIMER ↩............................................................................................................................2
FOREWORD ↩..............................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION ↩......................................................................................................................3
CHAPTER 1 - THE GREATEST NAME ↩...................................................................................10
CHAPTER 2 - LETTERS TO ANCIENT FAITHS ↩....................................................................16
CHAPTER 3 - LETTERS TO RECENT FAITHS ↩......................................................................21
CHAPTER 4 - THE INVISIBLE ZODIAC ↩................................................................................25
CHAPTER 5 - THE BOOK OF SEVEN SEALS ↩........................................................................28
CHAPTER 6 - THE BOOK IS OPENED ↩..................................................................................32
CHAPTER 7 - GOD'S SERVANTS ARE SEALED ↩...................................................................35
CHAPTER 8 - THE FATE OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH ↩.....................................42
CHAPTER 9 - THE FALL OF CHRISTENDOM ↩.....................................................................46
CHAPTER 10 - INTERLUDE ↩...................................................................................................50
CHAPTER 11 - THE COURSE OF ISLAMDOM ↩......................................................................52
CHAPTER 12 - THE TRAVAIL OF THE WORD ↩.....................................................................58
CHAPTER 13 - THE RISE OF THE CALIPHATE ↩...................................................................61
CHAPTER 14 - THE WORLD-STAGE IS SET ↩........................................................................66
CHAPTER 15 - HIS NAME REVEALED ↩.................................................................................72
CHAPTER 16 - THE END OF THE AGE ↩.................................................................................74
CHAPTER 17 - MYSTERIES REVEALED ↩...............................................................................80
CHAPTER 18 - THE DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON ↩............................................................83
CHAPTER 19 - THE TRIUMPH OF BAHA'U'LLAH ↩..............................................................86
CHAPTER 20 - SATAN BOUND ↩..............................................................................................91
CHAPTER 21 - THE HOLY CITY ↩.............................................................................................95
CHAPTER 22 - EPILOGUE ↩...................................................................................................104
APPENDIX A: SOME NUMBER SYMBOLISM ↩....................................................................109
NOTES ↩.....................................................................................................................................111
NOTES TO APPENDIX A ↩.......................................................................................................127
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ↩................................................................................................139
DISCLAIMER ↩
The opinions and interpretations expressed in this book are strictly those of the author, and do not
represent official opinions or interpretations of any agency of the Bahá'í Administrative Order.

FOREWORD ↩
The original exegesis of the Apocalypse, written by the author, was reviewed by the Bahá'í Universal
House of Justice and was approved by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States. It was
published and copyrighted by Philosophical Library of New York in 1981 under the title THE
APOCALYPSE UNSEALED. Since its publication, the publisher has gone out of business and the work
is out of print. There have been many requests for copies of THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED that
could not be satisfied.
This present work represents an attempt to overcome some of the errors and valid criticisms of the
original work and to incorporate new knowledge that the author has acquired over the past fifteen
years. It includes several additions and modifications that, in the author's opinion, do not violate the
spirit of the original work. However, the present work has not been presented for review to the
National Spiritual Assembly of the United States. The reader is therefore advised to be critical of the
opinions and interpretations expressed herein and to reject any that seem at variance with his own
beliefs as a Bahá'í. The author has made an attempt to point out all significant divergences between the
original work and this new work.
Every reasonable attempt has been made to make the new exegesis free of copyright entanglements
by alterations in the original wording, by the deletion of major portions of the original work, and by
the introduction of new material. As far as the author is concerned, the reader is permitted to make
duplicate copies and to distribute them, provided (1) that he/she makes no attempt to obtain a
copyright, and (2) that he/she does not realize a monetary profit, and (3) that the ENTIRE work,
including this FOREWORD, is reproduced and distributed, and (4) that no alterations and/or
additions to the text are to be made without the author's approval. Sections of the text of this work up
to 1,000 words in length may be quoted and/or reprinted for the purposes of criticism or commentary
without the express permission of the author, provided the source(s) of the quote(s) is/are given.

In BAHA'I NEWS, No. 77, September 1933, Shoghi Effendi tells us that only the words of 'Abdu'l-
Bahá [regarding biblical exegesis] are truly authoritative, but that if his statements cannot be
discovered, we are free to tentatively accept the opinions of scholars.

<2017 Re-formatted to PDF document, spell checked, document navigation links added by Ernie
Jones.>

INTRODUCTION ↩

PREFACE

'Abdu'l-Bahá has told us that there are many meanings to every word of the Apocalypse. {1} It is,
therefore, axiomatic that this effort does not reveal all the meanings and nuances latent in this
astonishing Book. Nor do I make apologies for my first effort, THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED,
published over fifteen years ago. At that time, it was the best that I could achieve. Since then,
hopefully, I have gained some added knowledge and new insights. This new effort may remedy some of
the weaknesses of my earlier work.
It is my hope and wish, as it was fifteen years ago, that this work will inspire other Bahá'í
commentators and scholars to continue the work of exegesis, not only of the Apocalypse, but of other
Sacred Writings. The Books are unsealed- it is simply a matter of applying one's mind to uncovering
the precious jewels that once lay hidden beneath the dross that millennia of 'idle fancies and vain
imaginings' have placed over them.
The discussion, for the most part, will be informal. Unless otherwise noted, the King James Version
(KJV) will be used, but with occasional references to the REVISED ENGLISH BIBLE (REB), the
REVISED STANDARD VERSION (RSV), and the NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV). Actually,
there are no irreconcilable disagreements between these versions, but certain nuances may affect the
interpretation.
To avoid cluttering up the text, most biblical and other references will be appended at the end of the
book. Notes will be identified by braces around the number; for example {3} means Note number 3.
Also I have made an effort, in many cases, to distinguish my own comments with square brackets:
[comment]. Hopefully, this will reduce some of the confusion between commentary and text, but the
reader is always invited to study the biblical text for himself to see if he agrees.
The letters 'BH' will stand for 'Bahá'u'lláh,' the letters 'AB' will stand for ''Abdu'l-Bahá,' the letters
'SE' will stand for 'Shoghi Effendi.' For example, the claim of Bahá'u'lláh that He manifests the
'Beginning and the End...,' etc. will be identified as '-BH: GWB, pp 54, 168', meaning that the words
are attributed to Bahá'u'lláh, and can be found in GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF
BAHA'U'LLAH, pages 54 and 168.

AN OPTION FOR THE READER

Bahá'ís are neither numerologists nor astrologers; nor do they indulge in any occult practices,
unless prayer and meditation be considered 'occult.' However, Bahá'ís do recognize that the
Manifestations have employed number and astrological symbolism in the Sacred Writings, sometimes
to conceal, at other times to reveal, spiritual realities.
Ancient esoterica is not everyone's strong suit. The paragraphs that follow may require some careful
study by the uninitiated. Unless one has a penchant for it, I suggest that the reader move on to Chapter
1 and return to this Introduction as he/she deems necessary.

ASTROLOGICAL SYMBOLISM

This is probably the most difficult subject for the casual reader to understand. The perplexed are
invited to read HAMLET'S MILL, a classic exposition of the subject co-authored by the great de
Santillana, a professor of philosophy at MIT when I took his course in the forties. Also, if one is
fortunate enough to find a copy, I recommend ASTRONOMY by Dr. Arthur M. Harding. This book was

the first to open my eyes to the inescapable conclusion that the Bible is adorned with astrological
symbolism. But only 'Abdu'l-Bahá seems to have recognized that astrological symbolism is absolutely
essential for an understanding of the Apocalypse.
Because it is essential, I am forced to present a brief introduction to the subject, knowing full well
that the serious reader will have to pursue the subject elsewhere.

According to ancient astrological theory, the fixed stars were located on an enormous crystalline
'celestial sphere.' A band of stars demarcated the region on the celestial sphere through which traveled
the sun and the other six known planets ('wanderers'). This band was called the zodiac ('circle of
beasts'), and consisted of 12 constellations of fixed stars. The names of the twelve constellations or
'signs' were and are still called:

ZODIACAL ORDER; SIGN OR CONSTELLATION; ENGLISH NAME

1; Aries; Ram
2; Taurus; Bull
3; Gemini; Twins
4; Cancer; Crab
5; Leo; Lion
6; Virgo; Virgin
7; Libra; Scales
8; Scorpio; Scorpion
9; Sagittarius; Archer
10; Capricornus; Goat
11; Aquarius; Water Bearer
12; Pisces; Fishes

The zodiac was considered to be the 'true earth.' The stars and planets that inhabited the true earth
were called the 'lords of time,' the originators of history, with earthbound man playing the role of mere
spectators to 'earthshaking' cosmic events.
Since the earth is tilted on its axis, we have the four seasons of the year, caused by the angle at
which the sunlight reaches the earth. The more nearly overhead the sun appears at noon, the hotter
the day. During the summertime, the sunlight reaches the earth at a steep angle; during wintertime,
the sunlight reaches the earth at a shallow angle.
The four seasons are related to the four 'corners' or 'pillars' of the sky. These 'pillars' are the
constellations in the zodiac where the sun is located at the equinoxes and solstices. The equinoxes are
the two events during the year when the days and nights are of equal duration, roughly March 21, the
Spring equinox, and September 21, the Fall equinox. The two solstices are the events when the day is
longest and shortest, roughly June 21, the Summer solstice, and December 21, the Winter solstice.
If one connects the 'four corners' of the zodiac with imaginary straight lines, one obtains the 'square
earth.'
At first thought, it would seem that the four corners of the square earth should remain fixed
throughout all eternity. Alas, this is an error. Actually, since the earth rotates on its axis, it is subject to
what is called the 'gyroscopic precession effect.' Everyone who has spun a toy top has witnessed the
gyroscopic precession effect that causes a tilted top to 'precess' about its vertical axis at a relatively
slow rate. Since the earth is tilted on its axis, it too precesses. The rate is very slow, one complete cycle
of precession requiring roughly 25-thousand years.
A little reflection should convince the reader that the gyroscopic precession effect will cause the
equinoxes and solstices to precess also, with the dawning place of the sun at, say, the Spring equinox,
to move along the zodiac. This movement is called the Precession of the Equinoxes.
The 12 signs of the zodiac are envisioned as 12 'doors' or 'houses.' Because of the Precession, the sun

enters a different 'house' at springtime about once per 2-thousand years and causes us to enter a new
astrological 'Age.' The phenomenon was well known to the ancient astrologers, and it was used as a
title of the Age of human history in which one lived. If the sun rose in Aries at the Spring equinox, it
was called the Age of ARIES. If the Spring equinox was in Pisces, it was called the Age of PISCES, etc.
Actually, every astrological Age had a double name, e.g. ARIES-Libra, PISCES-Virgo, etc. The double
name comes from the names of the constellations or 'signs' where the sun rises at both the SPRING
and Fall seasons of the year. Modern astrologers say that we are now entering the Age of AQUARIUS-
Leo or Leo- AQUARIUS.
This isn't quite the whole story, since the Precession will cause the sun to complete the whole 'circle
of beasts' and to reappear in Aries at Springtime after a 'time circle' of about 25-thousand years.
Accustomed as we are in the post-Newtonian world to open-ended 'linear time,' the ancient concept of
circles ('infinities') of time is difficult to grasp. However, mind-boggling Bahá'í Era concepts such as
the relativity of time, black holes, and oscillating universes, are forcing us to accept the validity of such
paradoxes, at least in the physical realm. Apparently, the ancient astrologers held analogous concepts
applicable to the realm of the spirit.
The numerical order of the Precession is opposite to the zodiacal order. That is, the constellation
seems to gradually lag behind the equinoxes. For example, during the Age of Pisces, the Spring
equinox was in Pisces, the twelfth sign in the zodiacal order. Now the Spring equinox occurs in
Aquarius, the eleventh sign in the zodiacal order. This fact will become significant in later chapters.

Next, we consider some astrological symbolism in the Book of Genesis. Genesis 49 is a word picture
describing the signs of the zodiac and are correlated with the names of the 12 tribes:

Reuben, 'boiling over with water,' is Aquarius (the Water Bearer)
Simeon and Levi, 'the brethren,' are Gemini (the Twins)
Judah,'the lion's whelp,' is Leo (the Lion)
Zebulon, 'who shall dwell at the beach of the sea,' is Pisces
(the Fishes)
Issachar, 'a gelded donkey lying down in the cattle pens (REB),'
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). [Aries, being the first sign of
the zodiac, 'presses upon their heel' in the circular
zodiac.]
Asher, 'the weigher of bread,' is Libra (the Scales)
Nephtali, 'a hind let loose,' is Capricorn (the Goat)
Joseph, 'whose bow abides in strength,' is Sagittarius (the
Archer)
Benjamin, 'ravening as a wolf, devouring his prey by morning,
dividing the spoil at night,' is Cancer (the Crab)

The 12 sons have been named but one sign remains- Virgo (the Virgin). This sign is 'veiled,' and is
correlated with Dinah, Jacob's daughter (Gen 30:21).

In addition to the names 'Pisces,' etc., the ancient Jewish astrologers named the signs of the zodiac
after the twelve tribes in the manner suggested in Genesis. Thus the name of the first sign was
'Gad/Aries'; the second sign was 'Issachar/Taurus', etc.

It is hoped that this brief discussion will permit the reader to move on. An effort will be made to
elaborate on the subject as the Apocalypse unfolds.

LETTER-NUMBER MYSTICISM

Gematria

Gematria is the name given to one form of letter-number mysticism that was extensively used in
ancient mystical literature. It flows naturally from the fact that ordinary letters were used BOTH as
letters and as numbers. The result was that some numbers would spell significant words, and some
words had significant numerical values. Gematria was used in the Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic
languages. The letters with their numerical equivalents are given in the following Table:

Numbers 1 through 9:

1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 9:

Greek:
alpha; beta; gamma; delta; epsilon; stigma*; zeta; eta;
theta

Hebrew:
aleph; beth; ghimmel; dallet; hay; waw; zayn; hayt; tayt

Arabic:
alif, hamza; beh; jim; dal; ha; waw; ze; he; ta

Numbers 10 through 90:

10; 20; 30; 40; 50; 60; 70; 80; 90:

Greek:
iota; kappa; lambda; mu; nu; xi; omicron; pi; goppa*

Hebrew:
yod; khaf; lammed; mem; noun; sammekh; ayn; phay; tsadde

Arabic:
ye; kef; lam; mim; nun; sin; ain; fe; sad

Numbers 100 through 900:

100; 200; 300; 400; 500; 600; 700; 800; 900:

Greek:
rho; sigma; tau; upsilon; phi; chi; psi; omega; sampi*

Hebrew:
qof; raysh; sheen; tay; final khaf; final mem; final noun;
final phay; final tsadde

Arabic:
qaf; re; shin; te; se; khe; zai; dad; za

Number 1000:

Greek:
(none)

Hebrew:
large aleph

Arabic:
ghain

* The Greek letters stigma, goppa and sampi were used only in numerical work. In literary works,
the numerical values 6, 90, and 900 were generated by a combination of other letters.

By 'literal value' I mean the gematrical value. It is obtained by totaling the numerical values of the
letters in the word or phrase. For example, the Greek letter 'Alpha' has the value 1. The Greek letter
'Omega' has the value 800. Therefore 'the Alpha and the Omega' has the literal value of 801.
An important case is the name Bahá'. In Arabic it is spelled 'Beh, alif, ha, hamza.' Its literal value is
(2 + 1 + 5 + 1) = 9.
The fundamental idea of gematria is explained by Plato in his CRATYLOS: the force of a name is to
found in its numerical value, while words and phrases of the same value may be substituted without
loss of meaning.

By 'archetypal value' I mean the value obtained by 'cabalistic contraction.' It is obtained by
successively adding the numerical components of a number until a single digit is obtained. For
example, the archetypal value of 801 is (8 + 0 + 1) = 9. Another example: the archetypal value of 7,637
is obtained by first adding (7 + 6 + 3 + 7) to obtain 23. Then add the resulting numerical components
(2 + 3) to obtain 5. Thus the archetypal value of 7,637 is 5.

SOME NUMEROLOGY

The significance of the numbers Four and Seven should be discussed very briefly to better
understand why these two numbers were used extensively in ancient sacred literature. Among the
ancients, the Four was considered representative of the World of Man. For example, there were 4
'elements' (fire, air, earth, water); 4 societal levels (man, village, city, nation); 4 seasons (spring,
summer, fall, winter), 4 eras of human growth (infancy, youth, maturity, old age); and 4 eras of
historical growth (gold, silver, bronze, iron). The list goes on. Today, we recognize, e.g., that 4 colors
are needed to color a political map (without colonies) {4}, and, essentially, anything that can be 'explained' (i.e. 'taught from a plane surface') through appropriate definitions, can be reduced to 4 initial
categories.
Seven was a highly spiritual number, the union (sum) of heaven (3) and earth (4). Some ancients
considered 7 to be the 'number of opportunity.' {5} As a symbol of opportunity, recall that animals
entered Noah's ark by sevens. {6} Some considered 7 to be the 'number of expiation and sacrifice.' For
example, Jacob spent 7 years in servitude for Leah and 7 more years for Rachel {7}; the Ark of the
Covenant was in the land of the Philistines for 7 months {8}; and the Israelites were in bondage for 7
decades. {9} As the number of 'trial and punishment,' recall that 7 years was the legal limit of slavery
under Mosaic law. Again the list goes on, and the influence of the Four and the Seven appears to have
been felt throughout the entire ancient world.

TRIANGULAR VALUE

The 'triangular value' of a number is obtained by summing all the numbers 'contained' in a number.
For example, the triangular value of 4 is (1 + 2 + 3 + 4) = the decade 10. In the ancient Pythagorean
and Hebraic schools, the number 4 was highly regarded because it contained all the numbers
necessary to create the decade. And since all numbers higher than 9 were considered to be emanations
of the archetypal numbers 1 through 9, then the 4 was therefore a 'primal number' from which all other
numbers could be generated. Even today we can see evidence of the ancient canon in the 4 points of
the Christian Cross, the 4 Central Apostles, the Squared Circle {2}, etc.

KLIMA

'Klima' was an extension of the concept of the triangular value into the realm of letter-mysticism. In
particular, certain 4-letter words were highly regarded as 'generators' from which other entities could
be derived. An important example is the Tetragrammaton 'YHWH' (Jehovah).
To make use of this principle, the 4 letters contained within the word are first arranged into a
triangle:

Y
YH
YHW
YHWH

Next, we assign the gematrical values to the combinations of letters. By the Hebrew gematria, the Y
(Yod) has the value 10; the H (Hay) has the value 5; the W (Waw) has the value 6. Therefore, the
Tetragrammaton has the values:

10 Sum = 10
10, 5 Sum = 15
10, 5, 6 Sum = 21
10, 5, 6, 5 Sum = 26

Now we make use of the fundamental idea of gematria as explained above: the force of a name is to
found in its numerical value, while words and phrases of the same value may be substituted without
loss of meaning. In this case, any word or phrase that has the values 10, 15, 21, or 26 can be substituted
for a row of the Tetragrammaton. Other combinations are also valid. In particular, 'Adam' has the
value 45 while 'Eve' has the value 15. Thus Adam can be derived by summing the four tens in the first
column plus the 5 in the last column; Eve can be derived by summing the three fives in the second
column. Other important numbers are immediately evident, such as the 40 (= the years in the
wilderness, etc.) in the first column, the 12 (= the signs of the zodiac, the sons of Jacob, etc.) in the
third column. The 'Number of Man' {3} is Five and can be seen in the fourth column.
The numerologically important number 72 is the value obtained by the total klima of YHWH, that
is, by summing the numbers (10 + 15 + 21 +26). It is related to the 'Divided Name of YHWH' obtained
from Exodus 14 verses 19, 20, 21. Each of these verses has 72 letters in the Hebrew. Writing these three
verses one above the other, verse 19 right to left, verse 20 left to right, and verse 21 right to left,
produces 72-three letter names of God. Also called the 'Schemhamphoras.'

PROPHETIC TIME SCALES

The following temporal terms are found in prophetic biblical writings:

A 'prophetic day' is usually taken as a year. Most biblical scholars justify this definition by quoting
Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6, in which it is said that a day of the Lord is equal to a year. But in
recognizing that a number-archetype may be involved, 'one' prophetic day may equal 1 year, or 1
decade, or 1 century, or 1 millennium {10}, etc. Usually, calendar years are intended, but in one
instance (11:8-10), the 'day' is a 'prophetic year' or a 'time' (see below).

An 'evening and a morning' is taken as an EXACT 'prophetic day.' The justification for this
definition is that it works well in the one place it is encountered: Daniel 8:13.

A 'prophetic week' is usually taken as seven calendar years. But again, if 'seven prophetic days' are
intended, it might mean 7 years, or 7 decades, or 7 centuries, or 7 millennia, etc.

A 'prophetic' month is taken as 30 calendar years. The 30 day month can be inferred by correlating
Genesis 7:11, 24, and 8:4.

A 'prophetic year' is taken as 360 calendar years. It is based on the 360 day calendar of ancient
Mesopotamia and Egypt. The use of the 360 day calendar in biblical allegory can be inferred by
correlating the dates in Genesis 7:11, 24, and 8:4.

A 'time' is taken as 360 years. (The word 'time' is from the Hebrew 'mowed,' conventionally a year
of calendar time, but more generally, a 'fixed time' or season.) The length of the year can be inferred
from the context, but is usually a lunar year. The justification for this definition of the word 'time' is (1)
the use of the lunar calendar in the ancient Near East, and (2) to allow a calendar year for each 'day' of
the 360-day 'prophetic year.'

The word 'times' is taken as 2 'times,' that is, 720 lunar years. The justification for this definition is
the dual form of the Hebrew word in Daniel 12:7 in which 'times' is clearly 2 'times.'

A 'lunar year' is the time required for 12 lunations, equal to 354.367 days.

A solar year is the time between equinoxes or solstices, equal to 365.242 days.

There are 1.03069 lunar years in a solar year.

A NOTE CONCERNING TITLES

The epithet 'messiah' (Hebrew 'mashiyach') means 'anointed,' a title applied to kings, priests, and
other potentates in the Hebrew world. Originally, the term 'messiah' simply meant 'ruler.' In later
Hebrew history, the term 'Messiah' became identified with the 'Messiah' of the Age of Redemption.
The word is found in Daniel 9:25, 26 where it is widely considered a prophecy of the Advent of Jesus
among both Christian and Bahá'í commentators.
The word 'Messias,' found in John 1:41 and 4:25, is a Greek spelling of 'Messiah.'
The epithet 'Christ' (Greek 'Christos') is the Greek equivalent of 'Messiah' and also means
'Anointed.'
The word 'Lord,' in most of the Old Testament, means 'Jehovah.'
In Genesis 15:2, 8 and 18:3, the word 'Lord' is the Hebrew 'Adown,' meaning 'Sovereign.'
Daniel uses the word 'Lord' in various forms: 'Adown,' 'Adonay,' and 'Jehovah,' where 'Adonay' is an
emphatic form of 'Adown.' Daniel 2:47 uses the epithet 'Lord of kings,' where 'Lord' is the Chaldean
'Mare,' a 'domineering Master.'
All of the New Testament, except Revelation 6:10, uses the word 'Lord' = Greek 'Kyrios,' meaning
'supreme in authority, ' a 'controller.' This was the most popular epithet for Jesus in the early Christian

world and likened him to a mystery deity. Revelation 6:10 uses the word 'Lord' = Greek 'Despotes.' an
'Absolute Ruler.'
'King' in most of the Old Testament is the Hebrew 'melek' = 'king.' Daniel uses the Chaldean form of
'melek' to refer to the king of the Chaldeans.
'King' in the New Testament is from the Greek 'basileios' = 'king.' The word is found in Matthew
27:11-42; Mark 15:2, 9-32; Luke 19:38, 23:2, 37-38; John 1:49, 12:13-15, 18:33-39, 19:3, 14-21. Since all
'kings,' among other epithets, bore the title 'anointed,' the word 'basileios' implied a higher rank than
'christos.'
In 1 Timothy 6:15, Paul uses the epithet 'King of kings and Lord of lords' in connection with the
Second Coming of Christ, but apparently reserves the title for the Supreme Being.
In Revelation 17:14, we find the epithet 'Lord of lords, and King of kings.' In Revelation 19:16 we
find the epithet reversed and capitalized: 'KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.' The reversing of
the epithet suggests that the 'Lamb' of 17:14 is not the same Figure as 'Faithful and True' of verse 19:16.
In fact, 17:14 refers to the Bab while 19:16 refers to Bahá'u'lláh. Collectively, they are the 'Twin
Manifestation.' (In the context of astrological symbolism, Gemini opens the door to the future and is
the 'Alpha' or 'Beginning.' Gemini also closes the door to the past and is the 'Omega' or 'Ending.' Thus
the 'Alpha' is the 'twin' of the 'Omega.')

CHAPTER 1 - THE GREATEST NAME ↩

SYNOPSIS:

The Book opens with a brief preface explaining that the Revelation is from Jesus Christ and is
delivered by his angel to John. The events in the prophecy are to commence very soon, but the time
duration of the prophecy is not specified. [The date of the Revelation is circa 104 CE.]
John first relays a message of grace and peace to the 7 Divinely revealed Churches [Faiths] of the
region called 'Asia,' a region roughly equivalent to the modern Middle East. Each of the 7 Churches is
under the aegis of a Spirit, the prophetic spirit of a Divine Revelator, who is seated before the heavenly
throne.
The 7 Spirits also represent the name 'Bahá'u'lláh' and are Manifestations of the single Spirit of
Bahá'u'lláh. Additionally, the 7 Spirits relate to the 7 planets, the 'gods' that astrologers considered to
be the 'Executors of the Divine Will.'
Jesus reveals some of his roles, while John warns that "he will come with clouds" [obscuring veils,
trouble, divine mercy, etc.]. When he does return, all those with [spiritual] eyes will "see" him and
realize he has been re-Manifested.
The Lord then reveals that He is the "Alpha" and the "Omega," which has the archetypal value of 9.
He is the "beginning"and the "ending," suggesting among other things, that his name is hidden in the
first and last words of the Revelation ("Apocalypse" and "Amen"), both of which have an archetypal
value of 9. He also reveals for the first of 9-times that He is the "Pantocrator."
John is then commanded by a loud trumpet-like voice to write down in a book what he "sees" and
send it to the 7 Churches of Asia: Sabaean [Peace], Jewish [Benevolence}, Hindu [Law], Zoroastrian
[Light], Buddhist [Truth], Christian [Brotherly Love], and Muslim [Justice]. Turning to see the
speaker of the voice, he sees Bahá'u'lláh standing amidst 7 golden candlesticks. He holds 7 stars in his
right hand, and explains that he is the "first and the last," etc.. He also reveals that he has the "keys of
hell and death" [the power of judgement].
John is again commanded to "write down" what he sees. The 7 "stars" are revealed to be the
"angels" [Revelators] of the 7 Churches. The 7 stars equate to the planetary 'gods.' The 7 stars also
represent the name 'Husayn-'Ali, the proper name of Bahá'u'lláh. Furthermore, the 7 "candlesticks"
are revealed to be the 7 Churches. The word picture that John writes down is thereby revealed to be a
form of the Greatest Name Emblem of the Bahá'í Faith.

PREFACE:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must
shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record
of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things he saw. 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. -Rev. 1:1-3

Modern translations read "the time is at hand," etc. as meaning that the events of the prophecy are
to start unfolding in the near future. The total duration of the prophecy is not defined by these verses,
and in fact will span about 19 centuries.

SALUTATION:

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 the throne; - Rev 1:4

The term 'Asia' could refer to either the Roman Province of Asia or to the larger Region of
continental Asia. The Roman province of Asia was limited to modern Asia Minor. In the early centuries
CE, the Region of Asia included India and Arabia, but did not include modern Asiatic Russia or the Far
East.
If one interprets it as the Province, then the 7 churches which, for some reason, Jesus addresses this
mighty Book, have a literal meaning that is obvious. If one enlarges the scope of the term 'Asia' to
include the whole Region, then the prophecy has a broader, more profound meaning. In the broader
sense, the 7 Churches of Asia then represent those religions of Asia and of the Prophetic Cycle {1} that
will have living followers at the Advent of Bahá'u'lláh.
The 7 Spirits before the throne also has multiple meanings. The names 'Bahá'u'lláh' and
'Husayn-'Ali' (the proper name of Bahá'u'lláh) both have seven letters in Arabic, and the Master,
'Abdu'l-Bahá {2} has given the name 'Bahá'u'lláh' as one meaning of the 7 Spirits. It should be pointed
out that the 7 Spirits also have an astrological significance that will become evident later on.
"Him which is, which was, and which is to come" is one name for the Lord God and derives from
ancient Jewish mysticism. The phrase implies a cyclicity of time that is related to astrological Ages.
Another possible meaning of the phrase "Him which is, which was, and which is to come" is God as His
recurring Manifestations.
Bahá'u'lláh has explained to us that God educates mankind in phases. Each phase is approximately
a thousand years in duration and is ushered in by a Revelator who holds undisputed sway during the
Age.
Before 1844 CE there were 7 revealed monotheistic Faiths in the Region known as Asia. They were:

FAITH; REVELATOR

Sabaean; Unknown
Jewish; Moses
Hindu; Krishna
Zoroastrian; Zoroaster (Zarathustra)
Buddhist; Gautama Buddha
Christian; Jesus Christ
Muslim; Muhammad

If we include the Babi and Bahá'í Faiths revealed after 1844 the list has 9 members. The Apocalypse
is addressed to the 7 Divinely revealed Faiths of the Region of Asia and reveals the Advents of the Bab
and Bahá'u'lláh.
Another meaning of the Jewish Menorah may be revealed here. The 7 candlesticks of the Menorah
are named Peace, Benevolence, Justice, Light, Truth, Brotherly Love, and Harmony [or Law?]. It will
become evident that their names are probably correlated with the names of the 7 Churches.

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, And hath
made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever.
Amen. - Rev 1:5-6

The message is also from Jesus Christ, [who, incidentally, was the "morning star" (verse 22:16) of
the astrological Age of Pisces]. Jesus Christ is a faithful witness that these things will come to pass.
Jesus was the first to be raised from the spiritually dead during his ministry.{3} He is the spiritual
Prince of the kings and rulers of the earth. By sacrificing his blood (spiritual life-force) Jesus raised the
early Christians from spiritual death.
In the symbolism of the Apocalypse, such terms as 'death' and 'life' usually refer to 'spiritual death,'
etc. ('Leave the dead to bury their dead.'{4}) 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.
Sin can have various aspects: disobeying God's laws as revealed by His Manifestation; enslavement
to animal passions and motivations; attachment to the contingent world of attributes and duality.

HE WILL COME WITH CLOUDS:

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. -Rev 1:7

Again, 'spiritual' should be associated with the word 'eyes.' Eventually, everyone with spiritual
vision will know that the Christ has been re-Manifested. Whether one blames the Jews, or the Romans,
or both for the Crucifixion is irrelevant, since the spiritually astute of every nation will become aware.
The "wailing" of the nations reflects the sorrow experienced because of their lost opportunity to
recognize and obey him.
Clouds means troubles and a veil between man and heaven. Because the Manifestation comes in a
human body and with human limitations, such things cast doubts in men's minds and act as veils.
Clouds can also symbolize Divine mercy, the annulment of counter-productive laws, the abrogation of
former Dispensations, and the repeal of useless rituals and customs. "I have come in the shadows of
the clouds of glory, and am invested by God with invincible sovereignty." -BH {5}
Jesus sometimes referred to those who have eyes and yet do not see.{6} Bahá'u'lláh explains that
the sincere seeker will be rewarded with a new eye, a new ear, a new heart, and a new mind.{7}
The fact that there will be a delay between his appearance on earth and his eventual acceptance by
the peoples of the existing spiritual generation is made clear in Luke and Isaiah. {8} The term
'generation' (Greek 'genea') as used in Luke and elsewhere has among its meanings 'an historic age.' In
allegorical usage, a generation is a Day of Creation or a Lord's Day. The word may be modeled after the
Hebrew word 'olam,' meaning an 'infinity' or 'world.'

THE ALPHA AND OMEGA INTRODUCES HIMSELF:

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. -Rev 1:8

The phrase "Alpha and Omega" has many meanings. Most succinctly, it refers to The Word of God
{9}, including the appearance of the Lord God as His successive Manifestations. One can also perceive
another significance to the phrase, indicating that every Manifestation is the beginning of the new Age
and the ending of the former Age. In the Apocalypse, the phrase refers specifically to Bahá'u'lláh.{10}
The sum of the letters "Alpha" and "Omega" has a literal value of either 801 or twice-666,
depending upon the Greek version of the text. In either case, the archetypal value is 9, the Number of
Bahá'. Bahá'u'lláh used the number 9 as a seal, since the name Bahá' has the literal value of 9 by the
Arabic gematria.
The "beginning and the ending" is another clue to the identity of the speaker. It suggests that we
investigate the beginning and ending words of the Book. These words, in the Greek text, are
"Apocalypse" and "Amen." The first word has the literal value of 1512 and an archetypal value of 9; the
last word has the literal value of 99, which also has an archetypal value of 9.
Furthermore, the Greek word for 'Beginning' is 'Arche' which has a literal value of 709; the Greek
word for 'Ending' is 'Telos' which has a literal value of 605. The sum of these two values is 1314, which
also has an archetypal value of 9.
Isaiah {11} explains that both God and His Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, are the First and the Last.
Other Old Testament passages identify the Latter Day Redeemer or Ransomer as the Lord of Hosts,
the Holy One of Israel, and the King of Glory (= Bahá').{12} Bahá'u'lláh explains that he is both the
Beginning and the End, and both Stillness and Motion. {13}
His Holiness Bahá'u'lláh bears many titles, some of which have been given him by other
Manifestations and prophets and are ascribed to Bahá'u'lláh by those Bahá'ís who have entered by
another faith. Some examples:

Jewish- Lord of Hosts, King of Glory, the Holy One of Israel
Hindu- Tenth Avatar, Immaculate Manifestation of Krishna, Kalki,
Vishnu Yasha
Buddhist- Fifth Buddha, Buddha Maitreye
Christian- Spirit of Truth, Return of Christ
Zoroastrian- Shah Bahram
Muslim- The Great Announcement, Return of Christ, Return of Imam
Husayn
Babi- Essence of Being, Remnant of God, Omnipotent Master,
Crimson all-encompassing Light

Other titles have been ascribed by Bahá'u'lláh to Himself in order to explain his mission to
mankind. Among these are: Ancient of Days, Voice From the Burning Bush, Well Spring of Revelation,
Day Star of Divine Revelation, Sun of Truth, Bird of the Throne.
For the first of 9-times in the Apocalypse, verse 8 identifies the Alpha and Omega as the Almighty,
that is, 'The Pantocrator.'

JOHN IS COMMANDED TO WRITE THE APOCALYPSE:

I John who also am your brother, and companion in 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. 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. -Rev 1:9-11

The names of the 7 Churches of Asia represent 7 Divinely revealed Faiths. While the prejudiced

reader of imperial Rome might have been tempted to restrict the term 'Asia' to the Roman Province of
that name, in the unprejudiced view, the entire Region of Asia extending through Palestine, Arabia,
Persia and India must be included.
The root meanings of the names of the 7 Churches are indicative of their salient characteristics:

APOCALYPSE; ROOT MEANING; SYMBOLISM; FAITH

phesus; Family Hearth; Peace; Sabaean
Smyrna; Myrrh; Benevolence; Jewish
Pergamos; Parchment; Law, Harmony {14}; Hindu
Thyatira; Cyprus Tree; Light {15}; Zoroastrian
Sardis; Stone; Truth; Buddhist
Philadelphia; Brotherly Love; Brotherly Love; Christian
Laodicea; Just People; Justice {14}; Muslim

We shall not digress to justify the salient characteristics attributed to the 7 Churches. There are
numerous excellent works on the subject of comparative religion. {16}

JOHN SEES THE ALPHA AND OMEGA:

And I turned to see the voice that spake to me. And being turned. I saw seven golden candlesticks; 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; And his feet like unto fine brass, as they burned in a
furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. -Rev 1:12-15

The Figure is that of Bahá'u'lláh. He stands among the 7 candlesticks representing the 7 Churches of
Asia. His garment to the foot signifies his heavenly attributes, and in those attributes, he resembles the
Son of Man: "The voice of the Son of Man is calling aloud from the sacred vale: 'Here am I, here am I,
O God my God!" -BH {17} His golden girdle symbolizes a new Faith and his spiritual power. His white
hair like purest wool identifies him as the Head of Days, that is, the Ancient of Days. And because of
his great tribulations, the hair of Bahá'u'lláh had literally become snow white. "The Pen of Holiness ...
hath writ upon my snow-white brow .. " -BH {18} His eyes have been described by witnesses as 'flames
of fire.'
His feet of brass are contrasted to those of Nebuchadnezzar's vision in Daniel {19}. Nebuchadnezzar
dreamt of an image that had feet of part iron, part clay- a weakened metal that soon broke beneath the
forces of history. In John's vision, the feet are of fine brass and are sufficient to endure 'forever.' The
sound of many waters describes Bahá'u'lláh as the Well Spring of Revelation.
In his TABLET OF ALL FOOD, Bahá'u'lláh reveals that the spiritual worlds are of different degrees.
In one of these several worlds, the world of 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." -BH {20} In another spiritual world, the plane of Divinity, the Heavenly Court, the
Manifestations are as utter nothingness compared to God.
The different spiritual worlds accounts for the seeming paradox between the vision described in
verse 13 and a similar vision in Daniel. {21}. In Daniel's vision, the Ancient of Days with "head like
pure wool" sits on the heavenly throne in the plane of Divinity, the Heavenly Court, while "one like the
Son of man" (KJV) is brought before Him to receive 'glory,' 'an everlasting dominion,' etc. In the
version of Rev 1:13, the 'one like the Son of man' also has hair like wool, etc. The paradox is resolved by
the concept of different spiritual worlds: In Daniel's vision, it is God Who sits on the throne while

'Husayn- 'Ali (later to be given the title Bahá'u'lláh) is brought before Him. John's vision is of the All-
Highest Dominion, it is in this lower spiritual world where Bahá'u'lláh exhibits the same attributes as
the Lord God.

HIS APPEARANCE:

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his
countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And
he laid his right hand upon me, saying to me, Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth,
and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death. -Rev
1:16-18

The 7 stars are the 7 'Governors' or Revelators of the 7 Churches, and also represent the name,
'Husayn-'Ali (the proper name of Bahá'u'lláh). Since the 7 stars spell a single word, they are actually
the Manifestation of a single 'star,' the star of 'Husayn-'Ali.
The 7 stars is an allusion to the 7 planets, which, according to the theories of the ancient
astrologers, were the true Governors of the world of man, the Executors of the Divine Will.
The right hand is the hand of power and might. As the Spirit of Truth, he speaks with the Sword of
Truth, double-edged because it separates the true from the false and the good from the wicked. "Aid ye
your Lord with the sword of wisdom and utterance." -BH {22}
The sun symbolizes Divinity, the Manifestations of God, and His Faith. "From Him all the Suns
[Manifestations] have been generated, and to Him they will all return. " -BH {23} His sun-like
countenance describes Bahá'u'lláh as the Sun of Truth. Many witnesses have testified that it was
extremely difficult to gaze upon his dazzling countenance.
The Holy Spirit as evidenced through Jesus Christ and Muhammad seemed to have died before the
Advents of the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh. But God lives forever and has the power to resurrect man from the
death of unbelief and to return him from the hell of remoteness. "Paradise is on your right hand, and
hath been brought nigh unto you, while Hell has been made to blaze." "Followers of the Gospel, behold
the gates of heaven are flung open." "No man can obtain everlasting life, unless he embraceth the truth
of this inestimable, this wondrous, and sublime Revelation." -BH {24}

A WORD PICTURE:

Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be
hereafter; The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden
candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which
thou sawest are the seven churches. -Rev 1:19-20

The 7 stars are revealed to be the 'Governors' or Revelators of the 7 Divinely revealed Faiths. Among
other things, John is commanded to "write down" the things that "are now" (REB). Chapter 1 of the
Apocalypse is a word picture. 'Writing down' these things reveals the Greatest Name Emblem of the
Bahá'í Faith. The upper level represents the Plane of Divinity, the Heavenly Court. The second level
represents the All-Highest Dominion, the plane of the Manifestations, the third and lowest level
represents the plane of the Churches. They are connected by the Name of Bahá'u'lláh who stands
among the 7 Churches and holds the 7 Governors of the 7 Faiths in his right hand of might and power.
In the Greatest Name Emblem, the stars or Governors are represented by only two, the Bab and
Bahá'u'lláh, whose missions are to unify the Seven Churches through the single Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh.

CHAPTER 2 - LETTERS TO ANCIENT FAITHS ↩

SYNOPSIS:

In this chapter, letters are addressed to the Sabaean, Jewish, Hindu and Zoroastrian Churches.
(Letters to the Buddhist, Christian and Muslim Churches will be presented in the next chapter.)
The letters are addressed to the Manifestations and the devotees of the Churches as they will exist
at the end of the Piscean Age. Each of the Churches has strayed from its pristine purity and vitality.
The speaker in each of these first four letters is God, speaking through Bahá'u'lláh.
The Sabaean Church is extolled for its good works, patience, rejection of Covenant-breakers, etc.,
but is chastened because it has strayed from its original teachings. Therefore, Bahá'u'lláh threatens to
come quickly and extinguish the Sabaean Church, unless it repents and reverses its course.
Moses and the Jewish Church are extolled for the "true Jews" within its fold, for those who do good
works and are spiritually rich, and who have withstood tribulation and poverty over the centuries. But
he condemns the "synagogue of Satan," and warns the Jews that many of them will be imprisoned and
tried for 10- lunar years by the "devil" [Hitler]. Those who persevere, remain faithful to God, and
overcome the false teachings within the Church, will be rewarded with a "crown of life," nor will they
be hurt by the "second death" [the rejection of Bahá'u'lláh, the Messiah of the Last Day].
Krishna and the Hindu Church are extolled for their good works, even in the place "where Satan
[Shiva] dwells." Bahá'u'lláh also extols the Hindus for holding fast to the name of Brahma during the
turbulent days of Lord Buddha; but he chastens them for holding the doctrine of Baal [Shiva] with his
fertility rites, and to a large pantheon of gods and demons. Bahá'u'lláh warns them to overcome these
and other false teachings, or else he will come quickly, and combat them with the Sword of Truth. To
those who do overcome, he will give them the "hidden manna" of the Word of God, and a new name,
'Bahá'í,' a name whose import will be known only to the devotee.
Zoroaster and his Church are extolled for their good works of charity, faith, etc., and are
complimented for doing even better than they did at their beginning. Nevertheless, they are chastened
for their idolatry and other decadent practices, and for their witness to Satan [Ahriman]. Those who
have not "known the depths of Satan," who overcome false teachings, etc., will receive no further tests,
but will be rewarded with the "morning star," the Bab, who will appear in their midst, and who is
destined, with his devotees, to rule the nations with a "rod of iron."

The following letters in Chapters 2 and 3 are addressed to the 7 Churches of Asia as they are
characterized at the end of the Age of Pisces. In contrast to their pristine purity, each of the Churches
has become corrupted. The Speaker is the Spirit of God speaking through the Manifestation. Their
style suggests an equivalence between the Manifestation and His Church, and the Savior seems to be
identical to the saved. "Nay, all else besides these Manifestations, live by the operation of their Will,
and move and have their being through the outpourings of their grace." "That some are near (to God)
and others are far (from God) is to be ascribed to the Manifestations themselves." -BH {1}
The first five letters are addressed to the Founders of the Sabaean, Jewish, Hindu, Zoroastrian and
Buddhist Faiths. All of these Faiths were revealed during the Age of Aries and their Dispensations had
been ended by the beginning of the Piscean Age.
But there is a special role that is played by Bahá'u'lláh. In THE YOUTH OF PARADISE, Bahá'u'lláh
identifies Himself as the Word upon which depended the souls of all the Prophets of God and His
Chosen Ones. Thus, only Bahá'u'lláh has the power to speak to and for the Revelators of the first five
Faiths.
There is sometimes an apparent ambiguity as to which Manifestation is doing the speaking; the
intermingling of Voices points out their essential unity. "Inasmuch as these Birds of the celestial
Throne are sent down from the heaven of the Will of God, and as they all arise to proclaim His
irresistible Faith, they therefore are regarded as one soul and the same person ... They all abide in the
same tabernacle, soar in the same heaven, are seated upon the same throne, utter the same speech,

and proclaim the same Faith ..." -BH {2}

A LETTER TO EPHESUS:

Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his
right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks: I know thy works and thy
labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them
which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: And hast borne, and hast patience,
and for my name's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted. -Rev 2:1-3

The letter is addressed to the now forgotten Revelator of the Church of Peace, the Sabaean Faith.
Apostles are trusted messengers. To faint means to grow weary.

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore
from whence thou hast fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly,
and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. But this thou hast, that thou
hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitanes, which I also hate. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the
midst of the paradise of God. -Rev 2:4-7

God, speaking through Bahá'u'lláh, is threatening to remove their Faith from the earth because they
have strayed from their original teachings. Indeed, the Divinely revealed Sabaean Faith, not to be
confused with the Mandaeans of southern Iraq, is now extinct. Originally, Abraham may have been a
follower of the ancient Sabaean Faith whose Revelator has been lost to history. The remnants of this
ancient Faith are the idolaters of Africa.
Nicolas was probably a convert from Antioch.{3} His followers, Nicolaitanes, were Covenantbreakers of the early Christian Church, and here signify the Covenant-breakers of any Divinely
revealed Faith. Nicholas maintained that the acceptance of Jesus Christ placed the believer above the
laws and morality of non-Christians, and that one's standard of behavior became largely a matter of
personal inclination.
God promises the sincere Sabaeans that they will receive spiritual life, light, and sustenance
through God's Manifestation, the Tree of Life, Bahá'u'lláh.{4}

A LETTER TO SMYRNA:

And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was
dead, and is alive; I know thy works and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the
blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan. Fear none
of these things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may
be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown
of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh
shall not be hurt by the second death. -Rev 2:8-11

The message is addressed to Moses, the Revelator of the Jewish Faith. The Jewish Faith was
probably the first to recognize the benevolence of God. He distinguishes between those Jews who are
materially poor but spiritually rich, and those who are materially rich but spiritually poor. A true Jew
loves God and obeys His laws. Those who exalt themselves before Him and refuse to obey His laws are
of the synagogue of Satan.
The Jews are informed that some of them will be imprisoned by the "devil" for a period of 10 days.
We recall that in biblical prophecy, a 'prophetic day' usually represents a year of calendar time. The
prophecy warns them of their 10-year tribulation under Hitler and the Nazi regime. The holocaust

began with the 'Nurnberg laws on citizenship and race,' 15 September 1935, and ended with the
destruction of the Third Reich in May 1945, a period of 10-lunar years.
The Spirit of Bahá'u'lláh, promises that the 'true Jews' who persevere through their tribulation and
overcome the false teachings within their church will be rewarded with spiritual salvation and eternal
life. They can avoid the "second death" by their acceptance of Bahá'u'lláh. Their 'first spiritual death'
resulted from their rejection of Jesus the Messiah.

A LETTER TO PERGAMOS:

And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write: These things saith he which hath the sharp sword
with two edges; 13 I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou
holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my
faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. -Rev 2:12-13

These words are addressed to Krishna and the Hindu Faith. The most conspicuous characteristic of
the Hindu Faith is its emphasis on the universal spiritual Law of Karma. In Greek, "Antipas" means
literally 'against all,' and refers to the great reformer of the ancient Hindu world, Lord Buddha. "Where
Satan dwells" generally refers to a degraded spiritual condition, but more specifically to the worship of
Shiva.
The modern Hindu Faith, although theoretically monotheistic (or more correctly, 'trinitarian'), has
a de facto pantheon that includes the deity Shiva the 'Destroyer.' The Hindu representations of Shivahis fierce demeanor, trident, serpents, human skulls, fire, phallic symbol, etc.- remind us of the
Western representations of Satan 'the Enemy.'
Tradition says that Lord Buddha was accidentally killed by a meal of poisoned mushrooms in the
home of Cunda, a smith. However, poison was one method that had been used by a jealous cousin
Devadatta and his henchman in previous attempts on Lord Buddha's life. Verse 13 indicates that Lord
Buddha was actually martyred, thereby revealing the true nature of His death.
The sincere Hindus are cited for maintaining the name of God (Brahma) even during their period of
spiritual decay.

But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam,
who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto
idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes,
which thing I hate. -Rev 2:14-15

The infamous Jezebel, wife of Ahab, king of Israel, introduced the idolatrous doctrine of "Balaam"
(plural of Baal) into Israel in the 9th century BCE. {5} While little is known for certain about the Baal
cult, it appears that he represented the male fertility principle in nature and that his rites may have
had sexual undertones. It is probable that Shiva is Baal under a different name. The wording of verse
14 suggests that the worship of Shiva may not be acceptable to the Heavenly Court.
In contrast to Shiva, the Hindu pantheon also includes the benevolent deity Vishnu 'the Preserver.'
According to Hindu theology, Lord Krishna was the last of several Avatars (Manifestations) of Vishnu
prior to Lord Buddha.
Verse 15 again censures those who use 'salvation' as an excuse for unprincipled behavior.
Besides the literal meanings, allegorical and symbolic meanings can be attached to certain phrases
and words. For example, 'idol worship' is equivalent to the modern day doctrine of materialism. "To
eat things sacrificed to idols" means to believe in (to 'swallow') idolatrous teachings, just as the
consuming of the bread and the wine of the Eucharist symbolizes the acceptance of Jesus Christ's
teachings and His blood sacrifice. "To commit fornication" means to accept false doctrine or to
participate in obscene rituals.

Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will
I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name
written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. -Rev 2:16-17

Hidden manna refers to Divine Revelation- spiritual sustenance from heaven, the Word of God and
Reality, hidden until revealed by Bahá'u'lláh. " ... That which is preeminent above all other gifts, is
incorruptible in nature, and pertaineth to God Himself, is the gift of Divine Revelation ... It is, in its
essence, and will ever so remain, the Bread which cometh down from Heaven." -BH {6} This
"Heavenly Bread" is promised to those who overcome the false teachings within the Hindu Faith.
In antiquity, it was a custom to present invited guests with 'tesserae'- small pieces of stone, bone,
ivory or mosaic. These tesserae were also used to perpetuate a friendship or to make a union more
sacred. The privilege of friendship could be extended to others carrying the tessera by a simple
process: the tessera was broken into two parts and each party wrote his own name or secret inscription
on his own piece. Mutual pledges were made, the pieces were exchanged, and no one knew the name
inscribed on his piece except the possessor. Such secret tesserae were probably carried by early
Christians during their travels to introduce them to fellow Christians.
The Bab presented His followers and Bahá'u'lláh with a scroll often called the 'White Stone.' The
Bab had inscribed it with a pentacle composed of 360 derivatives of the word 'Bahá'.' The scroll
revealed the name of the new Manifestation to follow the Bab. Only those who accept the Bahá'í
Revelation understand the meaning of the "new name."
"New name" (Greek 'kainon onoma') has a literal value by gematria of 432 and an archetypal value
of 9 ( that is, 4 + 3 + 2 = 9). 'Bahá'' has the literal value of 9 by the Arabic gematria, and Bahá'u'lláh
used the number 9 as a seal to many of his Tablets.

A LETTER TO THYATIRA:

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his
eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass; 19 I know thy works, and charity, and
service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first. -Rev 2:18-19

[REB 19 "I know what you are doing, your love and faithfulness, your service and your endurance;
indeed of late you have done even better than you did at first."]

This letter is addressed to Zoroaster and His Church of "Thyatira." Zoroastrianism, once with a vast
number of devotees throughout the entire Middle East, is now the smallest of the world's living
religions. Today, its most conspicuous characteristic is its cult of the Eternal Flame: fires laced with
'thyine' fuels, and kept burning in places of worship.{7}
The title 'Son of God' has undergone an evolution in meaning since ancient times. In the pre-
Christian Gentile world it meant 'Redeemer.' Pharaohs and other potentates of the ancient world bore
the title, and it was even a part of the Roman Imperial cult, beginning with Augustus (63 BCE - 14 CE),
who received the title 'Divi Filius' (Latin = 'Son of God') by decree of the Senate. Nevertheless, devout
Jews considered it an act of blasphemy for mere humans to adopt it; moreover, conjoining the titles
Messiah and Son of God implied that the Messiah was not inferior in dignity to Caesar.
To Jesus, 'Son of God' and 'god' were epithets for "one unto whom the Word of God came." Jesus
makes this clear when he answers certain Jews who accused him of blasphemy:

Jesus answered 'Is it not written in your law, "I said: You are gods"? It is those to whom God's word
came who are called gods- and Scripture cannot be set aside. Then why do you charge me with
blasphemy for saying, "I am God's son," I whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world? -REB:
John 10:34-35

The "law" that Jesus quotes is

[God says:] 'This is my sentence: Though you are gods, all sons of the Most High, yet you shall die as
mortals die, and fall as any prince does.' -REB: Psalm 82:6-8

In other words, a 'Son of God' is One to whom the word of God came and who is consecrated by the
Father.{8} This is precisely what is meant by a 'Divine Revelator' or a 'Manifestation of God.'
In spite of their small numbers, the sincere Zoroastrians are renowned for their beneficence,
prosperity, education, and charitable works designed to alleviate misery without distinction of race or
religion. In verse 19, Bahá'u'lláh extols them for their good attributes at the end of the Piscean Age.

Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which
calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat
things sacrificed to idols. And I gave her space to repent her fornication; and she repented not. Behold
I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they
repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am
he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.
-Rev 2:20-23

Originally, the Zoroastrian Faith was free of idols. Their Supreme Deity was Ormazd (Ahura
Mazda), the God of Goodness, Wisdom and Spiritual Light. However, under the reign of the Persian
king Artaxerxes II (405-359 BCE), the god Mithra and idols of Anahita, a fertility goddess, were
introduced. The historical causes of this momentous deviation away from idol-free monotheism are
unknown. However, verse 20 suggests that there may have been a 'prophetess' involved, a woman
analogous to Jezebel, who introduced idolatry and other unwholesome elements into their religious
practices; the subject deserves further study by historians. Today, the Zoroastrian Faith has a large
pantheon of gods and demons.
Bahá'u'lláh threatens to cast the Zoroastrian 'Jezebel' into the bed of misery and shame, along with
the idolatrous followers who participate in her false doctrine. Her spiritually dead descendants will
disappear from the earth.

But unto you I say, and unto the rest of Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and have not
known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put none other burden. But that which ye have already
hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him I will give
power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they
be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that
hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. -Rev 2:24-29

[REB 24 "And now I speak to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not accept this teaching and have
had no experience of what they call the deep secrets of Satan. On you I impose no further burden.]

Beginning in the Sassanid period of Persia (226-631 CE), an insidious doctrine crept into the
Zoroastrian Faith- 'dualism,' by which Ahriman 'the Destroyer' (Satan) was elevated to a rank equal in
power to that of Ormazd 'the Preserver' (God). Modern Zoroastrians tend to minimize this aspect of
their religion, but ever since the Middle Ages the co-equal power of Satan has been used by them to
rationalize the evil tendencies in Man. One suspects that the 'depths of Satan' have been experienced
by more than a few 'devotees' of every religion.
The Bab, the Forerunner of Bahá'u'lláh, was manifested in that part of Persia where the Zoroastrian
Faith is centered. The 'Morning Star' is the Herald of a new Day of God, and represents the Bab. His
Advent resulted in great upheavals in Persia and neighboring countries. The verses prophesy the final

dissolution of all the nations of the world and their spiritual domination by the faithful who accept the
Bab and Bahá'u'lláh.
The 'rod of iron' is a symbol of spiritual dominion, it is not a sword of conquest. " ... though the
revelations of My grace and bounty have permeated every atom of the universe, yet the rod with which
I can chastise the wicked is grievous ..." -BH {9} ".... certain souls guided [people] with a rod of the
plant, that is, a reed wherewith he shepherded the sheep, like unto the rod of Moses; others trained
[the people] with a rod of iron and drove them, as in the time of Muhammad ..." -AB {10}

CHAPTER 3 - LETTERS TO RECENT FAITHS ↩

SYNOPSIS:

These three letters are addressed to the Buddhist, Christian and Muslim Faiths.
The first Church, being the last of the waning Age of Aries, is delivered by God through His
Manifestation, Bahá'u'lláh. The last two Churches, being those of the waxing Age of Pisces, are
delivered by God speaking through His Manifestations Jesus the Messiah and Muhammad the Seal.
Lord Buddha and his Church are admonished for being a 'dead' religion, even though they profess
to be 'alive.' Their works are not perfect before God, and if they do not watch, the Buddha Maitreye will
enter and depart the world stage unseen, like a thief. But there are a few Buddhists who have remained
true to their original teachings, and, if they are able to overcome the false teachings within their Faith,
they will be allowed to walk with Bahá'u'lláh in Nirvana.
Jesus lauds his true devotees for keeping his Word and for not denying his Name, even though they
have little strength left at the end of the Piscean Age. Also, he will cause those insincere Jews, the
"synagogue of Satan," to worship at their feet. Because the sincere Christians have been loyal, they will
not be tested by the ordeal of receiving the Divine Reaper, Bahá'u'lláh, within their midst. The Return
of Christ will occur quickly after the Piscean Age, and those Christians who are able to overcome the
false teachings within the Church will be rewarded by a new name, 'Bahá'í.'
Muhammad severely admonishes his devotees for being "lukewarm" in their propagation of the
Muslim Faith during the Piscean Age; but he promises those true Muslims who are able to overcome
the false teachings within the Church, that they will be allowed to sit with him on his heavenly throne,
just as he sits with 'Allah.

A LETTER TO SARDIS:

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of
God and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be
watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die; for I have not found thy works
perfect before God. Remember therefore how thou has received and heard, and hold fast, and repent.
If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I
will come upon thee. -Rev 3:1-3

This letter is addressed to the Church of Stone (Sardis), a symbol of Truth. The most conspicuous
characteristics of modern Buddhism are its astonishing megalithic statues of the Buddha, and the
worship of His effigies and sacred relics. In various forms, the Buddhist Faith has spread throughout
the entire world.
Lord Buddha was the Revelator of the 'Fourfold Noble Truth,' and His mission was to reform the
polytheistic and often destructive tendencies within the Hindu Faith that had been accreted over the
centuries. His work was not completed, and Buddhism had, itself, become assimilated into Indian

Hinduism by the 6th century CE.
The verses reveal that the original work of the Church is no longer vigorous, and that the Faith,
though outwardly alive, is inwardly dead. Furthermore, even though they profess to watch for the
Advent of the Great Buddha Maitreye, He may enter and depart the world 'unseen,' like a thief, and at
an Hour that they least expect.

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with
me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and
I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and
before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. -Rev 3:4-6

Raiment, garment, clothing, etc. mean the character or attributes of the soul. "Say; From My laws
the sweet smelling savor of My garment can be smelled, and by their aid the standards of victory will
be planted upon the highest peaks." "Clothe thyself with the essence of righteousness, and let thine
heart be afraid of none except God." -BH {1} Verse 4 alludes to those hypocrites among the Buddhists
who defile their red and saffron robes by violating their true purposes.
The Book of Life is the list of those deserving Nirvana and eternal life. "O thou who art the fruit of
My Tree and the leaf thereof! ... Wert thou to scan the pages of the Book of Life thou wouldst, most
certainly, discover that which would dissipate thy sorrows and dissolve thine anguish." -BH {2}
The first five letters were addressed to the Revelators and their Churches Who appeared in the past
astrological Age of Aries. A review of those letters will show that they are all 'read' by Bahá'u'lláh, who
was described by a word picture in Chapter 1.
The last two letters, addressed to the Churches of Brotherly Love and Justice, are to be read by their
own Revelators of the new Age of Pisces, that is, by Jesus and Muhammad. The Apocalypse reveals the
events of the new Age during which they will have autonomy and supreme spiritual authority. Only the
Ancient of Days, the Manifestation 'with the seven stars in His right hand,' has power over past
Revelators whose authority had been terminated at the end of the Age of Aries, and may read their
letters.

A LETTER TO PHILADELPHIA:

And to the church of Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath
the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 I know
thy works: behold, I have set before the an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast little
strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. -Rev 3:7-8

[REB: 7 'To the angel of the church at Philadelphia write: ..... 8 .... I know your strength is small, yet
you have observed my command and have not disowned my name. ....]

The letter is addressed to the Revelator of the Church of Brotherly Love, that is, "Philadelphia." It is
read by Jesus. A new descriptor is introduced: the "Key of David." Since the letter is being read by
Jesus Christ, He extols the true Christians for keeping "my" word and not denying "my" name.
The Key of David is the power to close the old Age and to open the new Age. In astrological
symbolism, each Age is indicated by a 'door' in the zodiac. When a new constellation appears at the
'door of Spring,' a new Age commences and is reflected in the world of man by 'corresponding' events
through the formula 'as above, so below.' Jesus explains that He has opened a new Age of history, and
no man has the power to turn back the movement of time. More will be said about the "door" in later
verses.
Jesus also reveals that He is aware of the weakness of the Christian Church at the end of the Age of
Pisces. In spite of the great number who call themselves 'Christians,' the number of devotees who
actually practice the true teachings of Jesus are relatively few. Doctrinal and theological disputes,

beginning with the rift between Peter and Paul, have weakened their position and have produced a
proliferation of sects numbering in the thousands, each sect claiming to represent the 'true' teachings
of Christ. Brotherly love, the foundation stone of the Christian Church, is rarely evidenced between the
members of opposing sects, and their power to influence the course of human history is almost
negligible.

Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie;
behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,
which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. -Rev 3:9-10

[REB: 10 Because you have kept my command to stand firm, I will also keep you from the ordeal that
is to fall upon the whole world to test its inhabitants.]

During His ministry on earth, Jesus was a radical reformer attempting to cleanse Judaism and the
Temple of 'satanic practices.' The 'temple gang' eventually succeeded in having their own Messiah
nailed to the cross. It was only after the total destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, that the 'true
Judaism' promoted by Jesus became the accepted norm by the Jews in exile. Although much of the
early Christian zeal has become sublimated into less revolutionary channels, there are still some
sincere Christians, and Jews, who remain engaged in 'cleansing the Temple.'
The Christians are promised that they will be spared from the ordeal that will come to test all the
inhabitants of the world. And yet all the inhabitants of the world (including Christians) are to be
'tested' by this ordeal.
What is to be the nature of this test? The test is to be the same as it has always been, and the same
as it was in the early days of the Christian Church, that is, the test of overcoming the false teachings
within the Church and of recognizing the new Manifestation of God when He appears. But in contrast
to the early Christian Church, the new test is to be worldwide, not limited by geographical and
communicational constraints.
Indeed, the Christian world was spared from participating in the ordeal that is to test all humanity.
Contrary to the expectations of most Christians, the new Manifestation did not appear in a Christian
country, but in a Muslim country! Even the Christian regiment that was commanded to execute the
Bab was protected from doing so through Divine intervention, a miraculous event that was observed
by thousands and has been attested to by many reliable witnesses.

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man may take thy crown. 12 Him that
overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write
upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which
cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. -Rev 3:11-13

[REB: 12 Those who are victorious I shall make pillars in the temple of my God; they will remain there
for ever.]

A crown is a symbol of reward and authority. It will be given to those Christians who overcome the
false teachings within the Church, and they will become 'pillars' (spiritual supports) for the rest of
those in the Church.
"New" is repeated for emphasis. The new Jerusalem will not be called Christianity, and the new
Manifestation will not be named Jesus Christ.
Indeed, the new name of God will be Bahá'; the new Jerusalem will be called the City of Bahá', and
the new Manifestation will be named Bahá'u'lláh. "O Concourse of the Son (Christians)! Are ye hidden
from myself because of my name?" "Once in about a thousand years shall this city be renewed and

readorned ... That City is none other than the Word of God revealed in every age and dispensation."
-BH {3}
The word 'Jerusalem' means 'Sacred Peace.' In the Greek gematria, 'Jerusalem' has a literal value of
864 and an archetypal value of Nine. {4} 'New name' has a literal value of 432, which also has an
archetypal value of Nine.

A LETTER TO LAODICEA:

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and
true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot:
I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue
thee out of my mouth. -Rev 3:14-16

This letter is written for the Revelator and His Church of 'Just People' (Laodicea), and is read by
Muhammad, the Comforter. "The Amen" is an appropriate title for Muhammad, since He is the 'Seal'
of the Prophets. Also he affirmed and echoed the Reality of Jesus Christ, even claiming to BE Jesus in
spirit. In the Qur'an, God addresses Muhammad, the Messenger of God, saying "We made you a
Witness, a Herald of good news [gospel], and a Warner." As a Manifestation, He is the beginning of a
new Day of God, a Source of creation in the world of man.
Muhammad admonishes His devotees for being "lukewarm" in their promotion of the Cause of
God. In spite of their less-than-zealous promotion of Islam, early Muslims were noteworthy for their
positive acts of tolerance and justice.

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not
that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me
gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and
that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest
see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. -Rev 3:17-19

[REB: 19 All whom I love I reprove and discipline. Be wholehearted therefore in your repentance.]

During the years of rapid expansion of Islam under the infamous Houses of Umayyah and 'Abbas,
the primary objective of the caliphate was the collection of taxes on non-Muslims and the acquisition
of wealth by the corrupt Caliphs and their cohorts. As a consequence, the true purpose of Islam was
'beclouded' and has remained obscured to this day.
Gold is purified by fire; man is purified by spiritual suffering and repentance.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to
him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. -Rev 3:20-22

Muhammad stands and knocks at the "door" (the new Age) that was unlocked by Jesus with the
"Key of David." He speaks in the same spirit as Jesus, and promises to share spiritual sustenance with
anyone who recognizes that spirit. He also alludes to His mystical flight from the Rock Moriah to the
'Seventh Heaven' where He sat with 'Allah on His throne.{5}

CHAPTER 4 - THE INVISIBLE ZODIAC ↩

SYNOPSIS:

John is permitted to see the far side of the celestial sphere, the new heaven as it will appear the
during the Age of Leo-Aquarius. Bahá'u'lláh, representing God the Father, is seen in glory upon a
central throne on the crystalline surface.
Instead of the usual 12 thrones surrounding the central throne, there are twice the usual number.
[This is because of the Twin Manifestation, the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh, that will appear at the dawn of the
Leo-Aquarian Age.] Also, John sees that the 7 planetary 'gods' are actually the 7 Spirits that were
introduced in Chapter 1. [The 7 stars are the Governors of the Revelators of 7 Churches, in whatever
Age they are manifested, and in particular, the 7 Churches of Chapter 1.]
The new pillars of the Leo-Aquarian Age [corresponding to the sun's house at the two solstices and
two equinoxes] are Leo, Taurus, Aquarius, and Flying Eagle. [The last pillar has replaced Scorpio for
reasons that will be explained later.]

The four new pillars will exert their influences during the Age of Leo-Aquarius in various ways, one
example being the 4 Central Figures of the Bahá'í Faith.

The letters were written for the Revelators Who appeared in Asia during the Ages of Aries and
Pisces.{1} Their Advents probably appeared in the same temporal sequence as listed in the Apocalypse.
Now John will have a preview of the Age of Leo- Aquarius.

JOHN SEES THE KING OF THE LEO-AQUARIAN AGE:

After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice I heard was as it were
of a trumpet talking to me; which said, come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be
hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on
the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow
round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. -Rev 4:1-3

[REB: 1 ... and the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, ...]

John is invited to see the far side of the celestial sphere, the 'Upper World' or 'Celestial Pavilion',
and to have a preview of great secrets that will be disclosed after the Age of Pisces. In accordance with
first century cosmology, the outermost 'heaven' is represented as a vast crystalline sphere. The
Celestial Pavilion appears to John to be a 'sea of glass' as he stands on its outer surface.
The voice like a trumpet is that of the heralding angel, verse 1:10. John is invited to enter the "door"
into the Age "hereafter," that is, the Age following Pisces. In astrological terms, the name of this future
Age is Leo-Aquarius.
In this far distant Age, John sees Bahá'u'lláh in His role as the King of Glory. His appearance on the
throne signifies His mission as the World Redeemer, the Unifier of Mankind: the jasper appears in
many colors, but especially the color of the human heart; the sardine appears to be red or brown,
depending upon how it is viewed, and signifies the hidden unity behind the material and spiritual
realms.
The emerald shimmers with a color that blends with every other color; the rainbow bright as an
emerald is God's eternal Covenant, renewed in every Age, and it shimmers with the 'colors' of the
seven Faiths.

THE TWENTY-FOUR ELDERS:

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty
elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. -Rev 4:4

The imagery of much of the Apocalypse reflects the ancient cosmological theory that the Supreme
Being exerts His influence over the world of Man through the zodiac and astrological influences. The
theory derives from ancient Chaldaea (neo-Babylonia) and Jewish theologians may have been
influenced by the theory during the Babylonian Captivity. Astrology was considered 'science' until
remarkably recent centuries. 'Abdu'l-Bahá' {2} warns us that the theories of the astrologers are not to
be accepted literally but do have profound symbolic value.
John sees the twenty-four Elders seated around the throne of Bahá'u'lláh in correspondence with
the signs of the zodiac. Before the Bahá'í Dispensation, there were only 12 Elders (holy Figures) seated
about the heavenly throne. For example, Jacob had 12 sons, there were 12 chiefs of tribes under Moses,
Jesus had 12 Apostles, there were 12 Imams of Islam, and Buddha the Healer had 12 divine guardians
{3}. But in the Dispensation to be unveiled in the Age of Leo-Aquarius, there are to be twice-twelve of
these holy Figures!
Why is this? It is because the Bahá'í Dispensation is actually 'doubled' by the Twin Manifestation:
the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh. Thus in the Bahá'í Dispensation there are to be TWO holy Figures for every
sign of the zodiac, instead of the usual one! {4} The twice-twelve Elders are to be the 'channels'
through which the heavenly Manna is to be dispersed throughout the world of Man.

THE SEVEN SPIRITS OF GOD:

And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of
fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. -Rev 4:5

Lightning is the anger and wrath of God. Thunder is the sound of the violation of the Covenant.
Voices are the utterings of the doubters and hypocrites who fall into trials and temptations. {5}
As explained in Chapter 1, the 7 lamps of fire and the 7 Spirits have two meanings. In one sense they
represent the two 7-lettered names (in Arabic) of Bahá'u'lláh, Husayn-'Ali; in a second sense they
represent the 7 Revelators of the 7 Faiths of Asia.
The 7 lamps of fire before the throne, to the outward eye, represent the 7 planets, which popular
myth considered to be 7 lamps carried by angels across the dome of heaven. However, John learns that
the 7 planets are not the true Governors of the world of man, but that the world is actually controlled
by the seven Spirits of God. The seven Spirits correspond to the Divine Revelators Who manifest the
Spirit of Bahá'.

THE FOUR PILLARS OF THE LEO-AQUARIAN AGE:

And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto a crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and
round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind. And the first beast was like a
lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was
like a flying eagle. -Rev 4:6-7

To the outward eye, the far side of the crystalline celestial sphere appears as a sea of glass. But to
the inward eye, the sea of glass like unto a crystal is clear and pure- symbolic of the Ocean of Truth. "O
people! I swear by the one true God! This is the Ocean out of which all seas have proceeded, and unto
which every one of them will ultimately be united." -BH {6} Bahá'u'lláh reflects perfectly the attributes
of God from the mirror-like surface, and no one can distinguish between the Light of God and His
Manifestation reflected on the throne.

The four beasts with "eyes" (stars) before and behind are creatures of the zodiac. They correspond
to the four corners or pillars that will support the Age of Leo-Aquarius, the advent of cosmic time that
will announce the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh. In astrological terminology, the four corners of an Age
are the signs corresponding to the equinoxes and solstices. They are listed in their correct precession
order:

BEAST; SIGN; PRECESSION ORDER; PILLAR (DAWNING TIME)

Lion; Leo; 9; Autumnal equinox

Ox (RSV); Taurus; 12; Summer solstice

Man; Aquarius; 3; Spring equinox

Flying Eagle; Scorpio; 6; Winter solstice

Leo, whose number is 9, is listed first to signify the kingship of Bahá'u'lláh during the Age. Leo was
also the point of origin of the Great Star Fall of 11 November during the autumn of 1833 that seemed to
announce the sixteenth birthday of Bahá'u'lláh.
The more ancient name Flying Eagle is substituted for the name Scorpio for reasons that may prove
interesting. The subject will be revisited later. Flying Eagle should not be confused with Eagle, another
constellation that is not a member of the zodiac.
Besides supporting the corners of the Age of Leo-Aquarius, the four beasts have other meanings. In
the world of Lahut (the Plane of Divinity, the Heavenly Court){7}, it is God Who sits on the throne and
the four pillars are the Four Central Figures of the Bahá'í Dispensation:

Leo = the Lion of Judah, Bahá'u'lláh

Ox = the Servant of Bahá', 'Abdu'l-Bahá'

Man = the Man Child, the Bab

Flying Eagle = the Guardian, Shoghi Effendi

In the world of Jabarut (the All Highest Dominion){7}, it is Bahá'u'lláh who sits on the throne, and
the four pillars are earthly rulers, paragons of virtue, who will accept Bahá'u'lláh and thereby secure
the Cause.

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they
rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
-Rev 4:8

The six wings allude to the ancient Hebrew Messengers of God who had thrice-two wings. Full of
eyes within signify great spiritual insight. The Lord God Almighty (the 'Pantocrator') is thrice-holy. He
is Manifested in every Age, past, present and future.

PRAISE TO THE KING:

And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for
ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship
him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O

Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they
are and were created. -Rev 4:9-11

In many of His Tablets Bahá'u'lláh proclaims, "I am God." This identity with God is in the realm of
His attributes and not of His essence. Bahá'u'lláh recites the words of God to His Manifestation,
"There is no distinction whatsoever between Thee and Them; except that they are Thy servants and are
created of Thee." And, "But for Thee, I would not have created the heavens." "... He Who is the
Monarch of all names is come, He at Whose bidding every single name hath, from the beginning that
hath no beginning, been created ..." -BH {8}
If one 'writes down' the word picture of this Chapter, a beautiful mandala is created. It is a form of
the 'quadratura circuli' (squared circle) that has been used throughout the world for many Ages to
symbolize the unification of heaven and earth and the realization of inner wholeness. Thus John sees
that man's feeble conception of the phenomenal cosmos is a mere symbol of the 'hidden mandala,' the
Divine Order that is hidden, yet implicit, in the arrangement and laws governing the universe.

CHAPTER 5 - THE BOOK OF SEVEN SEALS ↩

SYNOPSIS:

John sees a scroll with 7 seals in the right hand of Bahá'u'lláh, some of the words have obvious
meanings while others are hidden. The scroll is actually the Apocalypse, which contains the future
history of the Piscean Age.
A mighty angel calls for someone worthy of opening the scroll. Bahá'u'lláh, the Lion of Judah, will
sit on the Throne of David during the Leo-Aquarian Age; he has prevailed and wins the right. But he
offers the book to the Bab, who will bear the title "the Lamb who was slain" during the Leo-Aquarian
Age. The Bab is found worthy of receiving the scroll from Bahá'u'lláh and revealing its contents.

THE BOOK OF SEVEN SEALS:

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside,
sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open
the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth,
was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found
worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. -Rev 5:1-4

The 'book' or 'scroll' is none other than the Apocalypse itself, revealed by Jesus to John circa 104
CE, and reveals the Age of Pisces. The future spiritual history of the Piscean Age will be revealed in 7
unsealed phases.

THE LION OF JUDAH:

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David,
hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. -Rev 5:5

[NIV: 5 "Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able
to open the scroll and its seven seals."] {1}

The title of 'Lion' represents the emblem of authority associated with Judah/Leo. In Genesis we
read

"Judah, a lions whelp. ... The sceptre will not pass from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet,
until he receives what is his due and the obedience of the nations is his. ... he washes his cloak in wine,
his robe in the blood of grapes. Darker than wine are his eyes, .... ." -Gen 49:9-12 (REB)

The title 'Lion' has been attached to several potentates in Jewish history. In Ezekiel we read:

'Raise a dirge over the rulers of Israel and say: What a lioness was your mother among the lions! She
made her lair among the young lions and reared her cubs...' -Ezekiel 19:1-2 (REB)

One of the 'Lions' was Joseph {2} ; later, another 'Lion' was brought "in a cage" before the king of
Babylon:

'he was put into prison that his roar might never again be heard on the mountains of Israel.' -Ezekiel
19:9

This 'Lion' was Mattaniah-Zedekiah {3} who was brought to Babylon "bound in bronze fetters."
Zedekiah's sons were "slain before his eyes," then he was blinded.

Indeed, after Jehoaiakim, there was no direct male descendent of David to sit on the 'Throne of
David.' Furthermore, the kingdom of David cannot be restored on the male descendence of David! God
placed a proviso on His oath that He would set up a prince among David's lineal male descendents on
the Throne of David:

"The Lord swore this oath to David, an oath which he will not break: 'A prince of your own line I will
set up on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant and heed the teaching that I give them, their
sons in turn for all time will occupy your throne.' " -Ps 132:11-12 (REB)

Sad to say, one of David's descendents broke a Commandment and violated the Covenant. In the
7th century BCE, the king Manasseh imported an idol of the pagan deity Asherah into the Holy of
Holies.{5} The prophet Jeremiah was delegated the authority of giving the descendents of David a
second chance. That failing, the male line, at least, was cut off forever. {6}

Furthermore, in addition to the kings of Israel, the Covenant was also broken by the people of
Israel:

"You have violated my covenant and have not fulfilled the terms to which you yourselves had agreed
before me; so I shall treat you like the calf which was cut in two for all to pass between the pieces, the
officers of Judah and Jerusalem, the eunuchs and priests, and all the people of the land." -Jeremiah
34:18-19 (REB)

Many claim that Jesus sits on the Throne of David through his descendence from David on his
mother's side. Be that as it may, the Davidic king, if one had existed with the Advent of Jesus, would
only "prepare a lamp for my anointed one." {7} Indeed, Jesus posed the paradox of the 'Anointed One'
being of higher rank than David and that the Messiah is not a descendent of David.

... 'How can the scribes maintain that the Messiah is a son of David? It was David himself who said,
when inspired by the Holy Spirit, "The Lord said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand until I put your
enemies under your feet.'" David himself calls him "Lord"; how can he be David's son?'-Mark 12:35-37
(REB) {8}

There is no record of Jesus, BY HIS OWN WORDS, claiming to sit on the WORLDLY Throne of

David. In fact, Jesus disavowed this claim:

..... [Pilate asks] 'So you are the king of the Jews?'.... Jesus replied, 'My kingdom does not belong to
this world. If it did, my followers would be fighting to save me from the clutches of the Jews. My
kingdom belongs elsewhere.' -REB: John 18:33-36

But if Jesus was a descendent of David, and if a descendent of David cannot sit on the WORLDLY
Throne of David, how could Jesus be the Messiah?

The answer is that Jesus the Messiah, like every other Manifestation of God, sits on a SPIRITUAL
throne and not on a WORLDLY throne. Just as David claimed kingship, and Melchizedek claimed
priesthood, not through ancestral lineage, but through a direct bestowal from God {10}, Jesus claimed
his authority from a higher source:

"I do nothing on my own authority, but in all I say, I have been taught by my Father." -John 8:28
(REB)

As a 'priest of the order of Melchizedek,' the authority of Jesus did not terminate with his
crucifixion nor with his genetic line of descent.
In contrast to Jesus, Bahá'u'lláh revealed, unequivocally {9}, that he, Bahá'u'lláh, "ruleth upon the
throne of David." Some may consider Bahá'u'lláh's claim to the Throne of David to be valid on genetic
grounds, since he is of the same line as David but is not descended from David. Bahá'u'lláh is
genetically descended both from Abraham and from Jesse, the father of David, and there are no
legitimate claimants to the throne through David's male descendents.{4} But God's (broken) contract
with David concerned only David's lineal male descendents. Nor is there any evidence that Bahá'u'lláh
claimed the Throne of David through genetic descendance; Bahá'u'lláh spoke of his authority as
descending from the 'Ancient Root' {20} Similarly, we find Jesus claiming

"I am the root and the offspring of David, .." Rev 22:19

The Ancient Root is apparently the Root of the Tree of Life, the 'Sacred Lote-Tree.' {21} The Family
of Prophets are the Fruits of that Tree, and they are all related to one another in some mysterious way
known only to God and to themselves.
Jesus, the Messiah, will sit on the Throne of Heaven during the Piscean Age {11}, but Jesus does not
triumph over the nations as prophesied in Genesis. {12} After the Piscean Age {13}, the sovereignty of
Jesus will be terminated, and it is Bahá'u'lláh who sits on the Throne of Heaven as the King of Glory,
and it is he who also bears the title the Lion of Judah, the Root of David.

The words in Genesis:
'he washes his cloak in wine, his robe in the blood of grapes. Darker than wine are his eyes, .... .' -REB:
Genesis 49:11-12

refer to Bahá'u'lláh's red cloak and his stunning eyes. The "blood of grapes" also refers to his role as the
Lord of the Vineyard, the Divine Reaper:

'Who is this coming from Edom, from Bosrah with his garments stained red, striding along with
mighty power?' It is I proclaiming victory, I, who am strong to save. 'Why are your garments all red,
like the garments of one treading grapes in the winepress?' -REB: Isaiah 63:1-2

When Bahá'u'lláh was exiled to Iraq, his entire property was confiscated, including his clothing. His
loved ones pieced remnants of cloth together to make him a cloak. It was dyed red.{14}

In the Ages prior to Leo-Aquarius, the Lion was not one of the Pillars of the Age. But in the future
Age that John is permitted to glimpse, he is told that the Lion of the tribe of Judah has 'triumphed,'
and can now open the scroll. That is, since Leo is now dominant at the Fall equinox, the previous Age
of Virgo-Pisces now lies before him like an open book.
The four corners of the Piscean Age are Pisces/Zebulon, Sagittarius/Joseph, Virgo/Dinah, and
Gemini/Simeon-Levi. The influence of these signs during the Piscean Age will become evident as the
seals are broken. In the Leo-Aquarian Age, the four corners are to be Leo/Judah, Taurus/Issachar,
Aquarius/Reuben, and Flying Eagle/Manasses. {15} The dominance of the signs in our future history
will become evident during the next two millennia.

THE LAMB WITH SEVEN HORNS AND SEVEN EYES:

And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders,
stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of
God sent forth into all the earth. -Rev 5:6

[REB: 6 Then I saw a Lamb with the marks of sacrifice on him, standing with the four living creatures
between the throne and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, the eyes which are the seven
spirits of God sent to every part of the world.]

Aries the Ram or 'Lamb' is the first sign of the zodiac. In the twenty centuries immediately
preceding the Age of Pisces, Aries was the sun's dawning house at Springtime. {16} However, the
inexorable precession of the equinoxes caused the dawning point of Spring to enter Pisces at about the
time of the Manifestation of Jesus the Messiah. Thus the 'Lamb was sacrificed' to make way for the
new AGE. But astrologers say that Spring always occurs under the SIGN of Aries, regardless of the
CONSTELLATION where the sun resides during that season. Thus, since the constellation at Spring is
never Aries, it can be said that the Lamb is always 'sacrificed' each time a new Age occurs. The 'Lamb'
is therefore a perfect symbol for Supreme Sacrifice, and some astrologers even suggest that the
religious ritual of lamb-sacrifice began in the Near East at about the same time as the Age of Aries.
Be that as it may, we observe that a Sacrificial Hero seems to be necessary for the birth of any
Divinely revealed Faith. Most of these Sacrificial Heroes are known from the historical record, and, in
some Dispensations, such as those of Jesus Christ and the Bab, the Manifestation himself may actually
climb the 'lofty summit of great martyrdom.'
But the Lamb that John sees in his vision of the Leo- Aquarian Age has special attributes: 7 'horns'
and 7 'eyes.' A 'horn' is a 'handle,' that is, a name. The 'eyes' are stars, and the 7-stars represent the
Seven Spirits of God that are sent to EVERY PART OF THE WORLD. Thus it is clear that the Lamb of
the Leo-Aquarian Age consummates the Sacrificial Heroes of all 7-Churches, regardless of the names
by which they may be called.

There is one Figure in the Leo-Aquarian Age who meets these requirements- the Bab. As Jesus
opened the 'door' to the Age of Pisces, the Bab (= 'Gate') opened the 'door' to the Age of Leo-Aquarius.
His Supreme Sacrifice opened the door that permitted the Manifestation of Bahá'u'lláh, Who holds the
seven stars in His right hand of power. Bahá'u'lláh, the Lion of the Leo-Aquarian Age, passes the scroll
to the Bab, the Lamb of the Leo-Aquarian Age. Thus we see that the power to open the scroll actually
comes from Bahá'u'lláh.
It was the Bab Who broke the seals of prophetic works by being the first Manifestation to reveal the
occult meanings of certain crucial symbols used in those texts. But the Bab broke the seals in another
way, by fulfilling certain prophecies of the texts, and in particular, parts of the Apocalypse. The
unsealing that was begun by the Bab was continued by Bahá'u'lláh, as will become evident as the scroll
is unrolled.{17}

PRAISE TO THE LAMB:

And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. And when he
had taken the book, the four beasts and the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having
every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints. -Rev 5:7-8

THE NEW SONG:

And they sung a new song, saying. Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for
thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and
people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the
earth. And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and
the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of
thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches,
and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven,
and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I
saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four
beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever
and ever. -Rev 5:9-14

[REB 9-10 "and they were singing a new song: 'You are worthy to receive the scroll and break its seals,
for you were slain and by thy blood you bought for God people of every tribe and language, nation and
race. You have made them a royal house of priests for our God, and they shall reign on earth."]

The new song is the message of the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh. ".... the divines and doctors ... have ...
refused to incline their ears unto the divine Melody." -BH {18} Unlike the messages of previous Ages,
the Leo-Aquarian message is to be directed to the people of EVERY tribe and language, nation and
race, not primarily directed, for example, to the tribes of Israel, nor to the speakers of Hebrew, Greek,
Arabic of Sanskrit, nor to Persians, Indians, Americans, Semites or Caucasians.
Although the Bab has earned the right to break the seals, the grant to do so comes from the One on
the throne. "... whatsoever My Previous Manifestation and Harbinger of My Beauty (the Bab) hath
revealed hath been My Revelation and the proclamation of My Cause." -BH {19}

CHAPTER 6 - THE BOOK IS OPENED ↩

SYNOPSIS:

The breaking of the first six seals will reveal a synopsis of the Piscean Age. The seventh seal (not to
be broken until Chapter 8) will reveal a detailed spiritual history of the Piscean Age in 7 further stages
of revelation.
The breaking of the first four seals will reveal the venomous forces that will dominate the world of
man. These forces are (1) Corruption of the Word of God, (2) Warmongering, (3) Economic Injustice,
and (4) Ungodliness.
The breaking of the fifth seal will reveal the fate of the righteous.
The breaking of the sixth seal will reveal the fate of the mischief makers.

THE FIRST SEAL IS OPENED:

And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of
the four beasts saying, Come and see. -Rev 6:1

[REB: 1 "... I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, ...]

One of the Four Pillars invites John to "come and see" what is destined to happen in the Age of
Pisces.

And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto
him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer. -Rev 6:2

Several clues have been given in previous verses that identify this venomous force, notably in the
letters to the 7 Churches. Looking back over the Age of Pisces we observe that there was only one
villain that rode a white horse- perverted religion. He began his career feigning virtues as white as the
driven snow. Corruption of the Word of God was the secret weapon of this proud villain, and there was
no part of the world that was safe from his arrows of false propaganda.
Who gave the crown to the rider of the white horse? It was given to him by Jesus and the other
Manifestations of God, but the rider betrayed the trust:

The Lord said to me, 'Equip yourself again as a shepherd, a worthless one; for I am about to install a
shepherd in the land who will neither care about any that are gone missing, nor search for those that
have strayed, nor heal the injured, nor nurse the sickly, but will eat the flesh of the fat beasts and throw
away the broken bones. -REB: Zechariah 11:15-16

THE SECOND SEAL IS OPENED:

And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. And there went
out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the
earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. -Rev 6:3-4

The zodiacal wheel rolls onward: John now sees a blood-colored horse ridden by the Maker of War.
As Pride was the secret heart of the rider of the white horse, it is Lust for Power that motivates this
rider. He holds in his hand the Sword of Conquest.

THE THIRD SEAL IS OPENED:

And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo
a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the
midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny;
and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. -Rev 6:5-6

[REB: 6 ... 'A day's wage for a quart of flour, a day's wage for three quarts of barley-meal! But do not
damage the olive oil and the vine!]

The black horse reveals the dark attributes of this force. Greed and Envy will motivate this horse's
rider, and he holds in his hands the unbalanced scales of Economic Injustice. The victim of the
transaction is permitted survival rations for his labors, but is denied the commodities of luxury.

THE FOURTH SEAL IS OPENED:

And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8
And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with
him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with
hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth. -Rev 6:7-8

[REB: 8 There as I looked was another horse, sickly pale; its rider's name was Death, and Hades
followed close behind. To them was given power over a quarter of the earth, power to kill by sword and
famine, by pestilence and wild beasts.]

We are primarily interested in the 'hidden' or spiritual meanings of the words on the INSIDE of the
scroll: The pallid horse has the color of Indifference, and its rider is the Death of Unbelief. Death and
hell have the power to kill the spirit of man with the rapier of sin, deprivation of the Word of God, the
sickness of despair, and ungodly leadership (beasts of the earth).

THE FIFTH SEAL IS OPENED:

And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the
word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying. How
long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on earth?
And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest
for a little season, until their fellow servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were,
should be fulfilled. -Rev 6:9-11

The martyrs of the Piscean Age are found to be hidden "under the altar," revealing the true
perpetrators as the priesthood itself. The martyrs, including Christians, Muslims, and the righteous of
other Faiths, must wait a short time until the martyrs of the Leo-Aquarian Age have shed their blood
also. (About twenty to thirty thousands have been martyred for the Causes of the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh.)

THE SIXTH SEAL IS OPENED:

And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun
became as black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto
the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the
heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out
of their places. And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains,
and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the
rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and the rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face
of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is
come; and who shall be able to stand? -Rev 6:12-17

These verses contain several symbols used by the prophets:

Earthquake- Shaking of the worldly order. {1}

Sun, moon, stars- The 'heavenly hierarchy' of prophets, church leaders, saints, priests, elders, .. {2}

'Heavens rolled up like a scroll,' etc.- Removal of the heavenly order. {3}

Mountains, valleys- Peoples, nations, religions, institutions. {4}

Dens, islands, rocks- Strongholds, places of safety. {5}

If the divines of the Age of Pisces accept the new Manifestation, they will become enlightened;
otherwise, they will become 'darkened' and their teachings will turn from water into blood; the world
hierarchy of church potentates, leaders and clergy will lose their power; nations, religions and
institutions will disappear.
"In another sense, by the terms 'sun,' 'moon,' and 'stars' are meant such laws and teachings as have
been established in every Dispensation, such as the laws of prayer and fasting ... Hence, it is clear and
manifest that by the words 'the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the
stars shall fall from heaven' is intended the waywardness of the divines, and the annulment of laws
firmly established by Divine Revelation ..." -BH {6} "Speed out of your sepulchers. How long will ye
sleep? ... The earth has quaked with a great quaking, and cast forth her burdens ... the mountains have
become like flocks of wool ... the people are sore vexed at the awful majesty of the Cause of God.
Witness how their houses are empty ruins, and they themselves a drowned host ... The All-Merciful
hath come down in the clouds of knowledge, clothed with manifest sovereignty ... The heaven of every
religion hath been rent, and the earth of human understanding been cleft asunder, and the angels of
God are seen descending ... The mountains have passed away, and the heavens have been folded
together, and the whole earth is held within His grasp ..." -BH {7}

CHAPTER 7 - GOD'S SERVANTS ARE SEALED ↩

SYNOPSIS:

Before the opening of the seventh seal, the four angels who will control the square earth during the
Age of Pisces-Virgo are ordered to avoid hurting the inhabitants of he world until the righteous have
been 'sealed.' The order is given by Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, who will ascend from the
east during the Age of Pisces.
The sealed will include twice-72 multitudes of souls from every nation, race, Age, Faith and culture.
This is twice the usual number of former Ages, because of the Twin Manifestation that will appear at
the beginning of the future Age of Leo- Aquarius.
John is informed that the twice-72 multitudes are arrayed in 'white robes' because they have
overcome the great trial of overcoming the false teachings within their Faiths.

GOD'S SERVANTS ARE SEALED:

And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four
winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I
saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud
voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth,
neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of God in their foreheads. -Rev 7:1-3

Wind is the holy Breath of God that is wafted over the worlds of matter and spirit. These verses
portend the wrath of God during the Age of Pisces; but the 'wind' will blow again in the Age of Leo-
Aquarius: "Out of thee (Baghdad House) hath gone the Breath of the All-Glorious, a Breath that hath
breathed over all created things, and filled with joy the breasts of the devout that dwell in the mansions
of Paradise." -BH {1}
Earth or soil is the world of man. " .... the clouds of truth will continue to the end that hath no end
to rain on the soil of human capacity, reality and personality their favors and bounties ..." -BH {2}
The Tetrad of angels will control the corners of the square earth during the Piscean Age. As

explained previously, the corners are called Pisces, Sagittarius, Virgo and Gemini. The influence of
these 4 signs will become evident as the scroll is unrolled.
The Angel of the East is Muhammad, the Seal of the Prophets, not yet manifested in the first
century CE, Who, as we shall see in Chapter 9, will command His followers not to hurt the righteous.
The sea is the spiritual existence of man and the sources of inspiration. "The seas of Divine wisdom
and divine utterance have risen under the breath of the breeze of the All-Merciful." A tree is a source of
spiritual guidance. A tree can also represent a nation. "Advance, O people, with snow-white faces and
radiant hearts, unto the blest and crimson Spot, wherein the [Tree of Guidance] is calling: 'Verily there
is none other God beside Me, the Omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting." ... "Ye are the fruits of
one tree, and the leaves of one branch." - BH {3}

THE 144-THOUSAND:

And I heard the number of them which were sealed, and there were sealed a hundred and forty and
four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. -Rev 7:4

'Israel' means literally 'he who strives with God.' Ancient Hebrew mystics considered Israel to be a
microcosm of humanity, and Israel's history of spiritual struggle as representative of all mankind.
In astrological works, the 12 'parts' of the human organism were correlated with the 12 signs of the
zodiac. In a similar way, the 12 tribes of Israel were considered to be mystically correlated with the
zodiac and stellar influences over the world of man. For example, the 12 loaves of the shewbread and
the 12 precious stones of the breastplate of the High Priest represented both the 12 signs of the zodiac
and the 12 Tribes.
As explained in the Introduction, the correlation of the 12 Tribes with the zodiac are given in
Genesis {4} where the blessings of Jacob on his sons are word pictures describing the astrological
signs.
What is the meaning of 'sealed.' It means that it shall be made manifest at some later time. The
sealed souls of verse 4 are to be manifested in the Age of Leo-Aquarius, and after the events of the
Piscean Age that are to commence with the breaking of the 7th seal.
In allusive language, the Greek word for 'thousands' ('chiliades') can mean 'multitudes,' in the same
way that we sometimes use the word today. (E.g., "There were 'thousands' of people at the gathering.")
Thus one reading of the number in verse four is '144 multitudes.' The correctness of this reading is
supported by verse 9, since in that verse, John sees "a great multitude which no man could number ....
before the throne." The number '144' will come up again in verse 21:17 and has profound significance.
Cabalistically, it has an archetypal value of Nine {5}, the seal of Bahá'u'lláh. Less obviously, 144, and its
half-value 72, have astrological, mystical and mathematical significance.
Let's consider the astrological significance first. According to astrologers, each sign of the zodiac
emits six types of influence that determine the course of history and personality types. For example, in
addition to the overriding sign under which a person is born, a personality can be influenced by a
combination of:

(1) masculine or feminine
(2) diurnal or nocturnal
(3) commanding, melancholy, phlegmatic or sanguine
(4) earthy, airy, fiery or watery
(5) hot or cold
(6) dry or wet

Thus in pre-Leo-Aquarian Ages, there were seventy-two (6-times-12) of these types of influence
radiating from the total zodiac. But in the Age of Leo-Aquarius, there are twice the usual number of
'Elders seated abound the throne' {6}. Consequently, the number of influence types is doubled to

produce 144.
The mystical significance of 72 will be considered very briefly. It is a number that appears in
marvelous ways throughout the spiritual history of Man. For example:

There were 72 Elders under Moses endowed with prophetic ecstasy.{7}
Some traditions say that Noah had 72 followers.
Some versions of Luke 10:1 give 72 as the number of disciples of Jesus.
By the Pledge of 'Aqabah, 72 heroes of Medina fought for Muhammad.
Jewish legend says that 72 angels from heaven chopped off the Serpent's hands and feet.
According to the Hadith of Muhammad, there would be 72 sects of Islam.
72 is the traditional number of Jewish scholars who translated the Septuagint.
The followers of Zoroaster were commanded to wear girdles made of 72 threads.
There are 72 stupas, each containing a sculptured Buddha, atop the great temple at Borobudar,
Java.
72 of the disciples of Confucius had mastered the six arts.
72 Muslim companions fell with Imam Husayn on the Plain of Karbila.
In fulfillment of a prophecy, 72 Babi companions fell with Mullah Husayn at Fort Shaykh Tabarsi.
{22}
72 was the number of Bahá'ís exiled to 'Akka. {23}

According to ancient Hebrew mysticism, there are 72 hidden names of 'YHWH' (the Hebrew
'Tetragrammaton,' or 'Yahweh.'){8} 72 is also associated with YHWH by 'klima,' an esoteric form of
number symbolism.{9}
Lastly, we consider very briefly the mathematical significance of 72. This number may be related to
the 'M-pire map problem' studied by modern mathematicians: {10} Consider a map of only one
country. It can be distinguished by a single color. Now suppose that there are many adjacent
autonomous countries. It now requires just 4 colors to distinguish the countries from each other. Next
suppose that each country has one colony that should be colored the same as the mother country. It
now requires 12 colors. If each country has twelve colonies, it now requires 72 colors.
The sequence is suggestive of astrological theology: That is, the Figure on the Throne is single. He
engenders 4 Central Figures; who, in turn, engender 12 Elders; who in turn, engender 72 disciples; and
so on. Thus the sequence may represent the growth pattern of a perfectly bonded movement, each
neophyte being distinguished by the sequence of 'gates' through which he/she enters the movement. In
the case of Rev 7, the movement is Divine, the only kind in which the members can be said to be truly
bonded.
Thus we see another meaning of the word 'sealed.' The term implies that the members of a Divinely
revealed Faith are all perfectly 'bonded' to the Manifestation, and hence to God.

TWELVE-THOUSAND FROM EACH TRIBE:

Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand.
Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Asher were sealed twelve thousand. Of
the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve
thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed
twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were
sealed twelve thousand. -Rev 7:5-8

For reasons already stated, the number of the sealed of each tribe is 12 multitudes, twice the
number of past Ages. Also, the ordering of the list of tribes differs from that in Genesis.{11}
Furthermore, Manasses has been substituted for Dan in the Genesis listing.

Why is Manasses substituted for Dan? We recall that the more ancient name Flying Eagle was also
substituted for the name Scorpio in Rev 4:7. Thus the substitution is actually Manasses (Flying Eagle)
for Dan (Scorpio).
Modern astrologers still assign both 'scorpion' and 'eagle' attributes to the sign, and the application
to personality type depends upon the person's physiognomy. Apparently, in the New Age, eagle
attributes are to triumph over scorpion attributes. Let us revisit the descriptor of Dan in Genesis:

".. a viper on the road, a horned snake on the path ..." -REB: Gen 49:17

Not a pleasant picture, and astrologers often equate Scorpio with the Serpent in Eden. The case is
augmented by the prayer following Dan's descriptor:

"I wait in hope of salvation from you, Lord." - REB: Gen 49:18

Salvation from what? It can only be salvation from the influence of Scorpio. Remember that
astrological theology postulates that God works through the zodiac and astrological influences. In
order to solve the 'problem of evil' (i.e., How can a totally benevolent Creator allow evil to exist?), there
must be at least one zodiacal sign with malevolent attributes. That sign must be Scorpio, since none of
the remaining signs seem to have had the power to harm man in such a baleful manner. The 'Serpent,'
or his equivalent, has slithered his way into many verses of the Bible and other sacred texts and
religious art.
The substitution of Flying Eagle for Scorpio becomes even more interesting when we analyze the
descriptors of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. It was the expressed intention of Jesus that the 12 Apostles
would replace the 12 Tribes as the arbiters of history {13}, and in a later chapter {14} we will find the
names of the Apostles inscribed on the foundations of the New Jerusalem. Let us consider whether
Jesus chose the Apostles in accordance with the zodiacal signs:
Admittedly, the record is scanty, but the existing evidence suggests that He did so. Using Luke's list,
{15} Peter the Fisherman is the Fishes; Mary (veiled) is the Virgin; Levi the Tax Collector is the Scales;
Simon the Zealot is the Ram; Thomas the Doubter is the Bull; James and John are the Twins; Judas
Iscariot the Betrayer is the Scorpion.
James and John are especially convincing, since Jesus called them "sons of thunder" {16},
apparently alluding to the belief among sailors of the time that Gemini watched over them during
storms and reassured them with the "voice" of thunder. Less apparent is Andrew, also a fisherman,
who might be the Water Bearer. Judas, son of James, might be the Crab. We know virtually nothing
about the remaining three Apostles of Luke's list who would have to be correlated with the Lion, the
Archer and the Goat.
Assuming that our hypothesis is correct, what does this tell us about Judas the Betrayer? It implies
that Judas Iscariot WAS CHOSEN TO BE THE BETRAYER in the great drama of the Crucifixion. This
would add meaning to the statement of Jesus:

... "Have I not I chosen the twelve of you? Yet one of you is a devil." -REB: John 6:70

It would also explain the puzzling episode recounted in John: {17}

... "Do quickly what you have to do." -REB: John 13:27

Apparently, Judas was COMMANDED to do what he had to do as his part in the Divine drama.

The rationale for the order of the Tribes in verses 7:5-8 becomes clear when we recognize that the
list is astrological. The list refers to Spiritual Generations, which is, which was, and which is to come
(Rev 1:4).

To prove this {24}, we first recall that Rev 4:7 informs us that the new Age is to have Leo as its
leading sign, with its fall-SPRING equinoctial axis at Leo-AQUARIUS. An inspection of the list of
Tribes in verses 7:5-8 reveals that, indeed, Leo-AQUARIUS corresponds to the first two Tribes, that is:

(1) Judah- (2) REUBEN = Leo-AQUARIUS

The next two names in the list correspond to the Age of ARIES- Libra:

(3) GAD- (4) Asher = ARIES-Libra

The first four names inform us that the equinoctial axes are to be specified in the list, and
apparently without prejudice as to the order of the equinoxes. Thus, we are invited to coalesce all the
names in the list of Tribes to correspond to the equinoctial axes:

ORDER IN REV 7:5-8; TRIBAL NAMES = EQUINOCTIAL AXIS

1, 2; JUDAH, REUBEN = LEO-AQUARIUS OR AQUARIUS-LEO
3, 4; GAD, ASHER = ARIES-LIBRA OR LIBRA-ARIES
5, (12); NEPHTALI, (BENJAMIN) = CAPRICORN-CANCER or CANCER-CAPRICORN
6, (9); MANASSEH, (ISSACHAR) = FLYING EAGLE-TAURUS or TAURUS-FLYING-EAGLE
7 & 8, (11); SIMEON & LEVI*, (JOSEPH) = GEMINI-SAGITTARIUS or SAGITTARIUS-GEMINI
10; ZEBULON, [DINAH]* = PISCES-[VIRGO]*

* Note: SIMEON & LEVI correspond to the single sign GEMINI, while [DINAH] is 'veiled' and
corresponds to the veiled sign [VIRGO]. See INTRODUCTION.

Why are the equinoctial axes arranged in this particular order? The answer can be found by
referring to a circular astrological diagram of the new heaven:

Future Ages: New Age: Past Ages:

LEO
|
CANCER | [VIRGO]
|
|
GEMINI | LIBRA
|
|
TAURUS------------|------------FLYING EAGLE
|
|
ARIES | SAGITTARIUS
|
|
PISCES | CAPRICORN
|
AQUARIUS

THE NEW HEAVEN

Starting at LEO, and ignoring [VIRGO] for the moment, it will be seen that the list of Ages
circulates between Present, Past and Future:

ASTRO-AGE; Precession Order

LEO-AQUARIUS; New Age (Present)

LIBRA-ARIES; First Past Age

CANCER-CAPRICORN; First Future Age

FLYING EAGLE-TAURUS; Second Past Age

GEMINI-SAGITTARIUS; Second Future Age

PISCES; Last Future Age

Let us take a closer look at [VIRGO]. It is skipped in the counting because [DINAH] is 'veiled' and is
never explicitly listed among the Tribes.

Why are only six equinoctial axes defined in the list? The answer to this question can be found in
Genesis:

He called the light day, and the darkness night...; and God saw all that he had made, and it was very
good. Evening came, and morning came; it was the sixth day. - REB: Genesis 1:5, 31

God created the world in six 'days.' A 'day' is a 'morning and an evening.' In astrological terms, a
'Day' is an Age, and an Age is identified by a Spring equinox (a 'morning') and a Fall equinox (an
'evening'). Thus there are only six 'Days of Creation' in the zodiacal calendar, while God rests on the
Seventh Day:

...; on the seventh day, having finished all his work, God blessed the day and made it holy, ... REB: Gen
2:2-3

This brings to mind a very interesting prophecy of Jesus in Mark:

"... who will not receive in this age a hundred times as much -- houses, brothers and sisters, mothers
and children, and land -- and persecutions besides; and in the age to come eternal life. But many of the
first will be last, and the last first." - REB: Mark 10:30-31

Jesus' words may imply, among other things, that many of those who are the first to accept his own
Manifestation may be the last to accept the Manifestation of the Age to come. But his parable in
Matthew ends with the same enigmatic prophecy:

"So the last will be first, and the first last." -REB: Matt 20:16

Jesus' prophecy concerns the age to come, that is, the advent of the Future Age. While many
interpretations may be given to his parable in Matthew, it also gives us a clue that the Past will become
Future and the Future will become Past. This 'Copernican inversion' of the zodiac will convert the Age

of PISCES from First Past into Last Future.
But there are even more interesting implications of Jesus' prophecy. If we list the next 'Seven Days'
in their future sequence beginning at the Age of PISCES, they were:

First Day: PISCES-[VIRGO]
Second Day: AQUARIUS-LEO
Third Day: CAPRICORN-CANCER
Fourth Day: SAGITTARIUS-GEMINI
Fifth Day: SCORPIO-TAURUS
Sixth Day: LIBRA-ARIES
Seventh Day: LEO-AQUARIUS*

*Note: Again skipping veiled [VIRGO].

But in the New Age, the sequence of the next 'Seven Days' becomes:

First Day: LEO-AQUARIUS
Second Day: CANCER-CAPRICORN
Third Day: GEMINI-SAGITTARIUS
Fourth Day: TAURUS-FLYING EAGLE
Fifth Day: ARIES-LIBRA
Sixth Day: PISCES-[VIRGO]
Seventh Day: AQUARIUS-LEO

Indeed, we now see the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy: "So the last will be first, and the first last."
LEO-AQUARIUS, the last 'Day' of the old zodiac, has become the first Day of the new zodiac.
Furthermore, PISCES-[VIRGO], the first Day of Creation in the old zodiac, has become the last Day of
Creation in the new zodiac. Finally, we see that LEO has now become both the first and the last sign.

The prophecy of Jesus: "... and in the age to come eternal life. ...," informs us that 'eternal life' is to
occur in the Age of LEO-AQUARIUS, not during his own Age of PISCES-[VIRGO]. Why is this?

We recall that the Day of Bahá'u'lláh is the 'Day not followed by Night.' In all previous Ages, the Sun
of the Manifestation was beclouded by ensuing 'darkness.' But in this New Age, the Divine Light will
prevail and the Sun of Truth will never set.
There is yet an another implication of the 'Day not followed by Night.' There are now two 'Suns' in
the spiritual heaven, not one Sun. In the old zodiac, AQUARIUS would have been the 'Sun' and LEO
would have been the 'Moon'. But the Twin Manifestation produces Two Suns at the Spring equinox,
not to be followed by a Moon at the Fall equinox.

PRAISE TO GOD AND THE LAMB:

After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds,
and people and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and
palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying. Salvation to our God which sitteth upon
the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders,
and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, Amen:
Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our
God for ever and ever. Amen. -Rev 7:9-12

[REB: 10 "and they shouted aloud: 'Victory to our God who sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb!"

The righteous of all Ages, nations, races, and cultures will be saved. The palm fronds signal glad
tidings and victory.
As the Manifestation of God the Father, Bahá'u'lláh sits upon the throne while the Manifestation of
the Lamb Consummate, the Bab, stands at the center of the throne.

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are they which are arrayed in white robes? and
whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which
came out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of
the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and
he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. -Rev 7:13-14

[REB: 13 "One of the elders turned to me and asked, ..."; 14 ".... 'They are those who have passed
through the great ordeal; ...]

The great ordeal is the same in every Age and Dispensation, and is summarized in Chapter 6. The
ordeal is to overcome the false teachings within the Church; to avoid hypocrisy, false pride, the thirst
for power, greed, envy, and the temptations of the flesh. Above all, one must recognize the sovereignty
of the Manifestation, to accept the Sacrifice of the Lamb by submitting one's own ego to the Will of
God.

They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living
fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. -Rev 7:16-17

The scorching heat of the sun is the ubiquitous tribulation of the righteous. Water is spiritual grace
and knowledge. "O My servants! Whoso hath tasted of this Fountain hath attained unto everlasting
Life, and whoso hath refused to drink therefrom is even as the dead." "Say, O ye who are as dead! The
Hand of Divine bounty proffereth unto you the Water of Life. Hasten and drink your fill. Whoso hath
been reborn in this Day, shall never die; whoso remaineth dead, shall never live." - BH {18}
As for hunger, "Glorified be He, Who is the Creator of all names and attributes! Cast into the fire
the tree that hath rot and dried up, and abide under the shadow of the green and goodly Tree, and
partake of the fruit thereof." -BH {19}
God will dwell with man through the Bahá'í Universal House of Justice. "These are they who are
blessed by the Concourse on high, who are glorified by the denizens of the everlasting Cities, and
beyond them by those on whose foreheads Thy most exalted pen hath written, 'These! The people of
Bahá'. Through them [the Universal House of Justice] have been shed the splendors of the light of
guidance." -BH {20}

CHAPTER 8 - THE FATE OF THE EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH ↩

SYNOPSIS:

The future history of Christendom during the Piscean Age will be revealed in 7 phases, each
announced by a heralding angel.
Chapter 8 reveals the fate of the early Christian Church and will be announced by the first 4 heralds.
An altar angel precedes the opening of the first seal. His censer prepares the earth with a downpour
of violence that will accompany the Piscean Age.
The first herald announces the first great persecution of Christians, 110-238 CE.
The second herald announces the second great persecution of Christians, 249-311.
The third herald announces the embitterment of Christianity by Constantine the Great, beginning

circa 325 CE.
The fourth herald announces the Dark Age of Christendom, circa 408-1054.
John then hears the voice of the Flying Eagle. The Piscean Age is more than half finished at the end
of the Dark Age and the Flying Eagle is "mid-heaven" on its way to its pillar at the Leo-Aquarian
Winter solstice. It warns of three "Woes" [Days of the Lord] that will be announced by the last three
heralds. The three Woes are to be the Advents of Muhammad, the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh.

A PAUSE BEFORE THE PROPHECIES:

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.
And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets. -Rev 8:1-

The silence of half an hour separates the preamble of the first 7 chapters from the prophecies of
future historical events that are to "shortly come to pass."

THE ALTAR ANGEL IS INTRODUCED:

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him
much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was
before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended
up before God out of the angel's hand. -Rev 8:3-4

A new actor, the 'altar angel,' is introduced. The altar angel will reappear in Chapter 14, and his
significance will become more apparent at that time. Meanwhile, recall that at the great Temple in
Jerusalem, the altar of burnt-offerings was located in the court of the children of Israel. However, only
the Sadducee priests were allowed to enter the court and perform the oblations and sacrifices. The
Gospels tell us that the priesthood was not especially friendly toward Jesus, and with the destruction
of the Temple in 70 CE, the sacrifice came to an end. Now, in the heavenly realm, John sees that the
sacrifice has been re-instituted, but now on Jesus' terms. The Apocalypse was revealed to john circa 7-
decades after the Crucifixion and one-half-of-7 decades after the Fall of Jerusalem.
The golden censer indicates great piety; incense or perfume is the fragrance of communion with
God. "Thus counselleth you the All-Knowing, the Faithful. We shall always be with you; if we inhale
the perfume of your fellowship, Our heart will assuredly rejoice, for naught else can satisfy us." -BH {1}

FIRE IS CAST ONTO THE EARTH:

And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there
were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake. And the seven angels which had the
seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound. -Rev 8:5-6

Fire is variously a symbol of sacrifice, of purification, of the rebuke of God, of destruction or
torment. The voices are of those who fall into trials and temptations. Thunder accompanies the
violation of the Covenant, and the lightning flashes are the wrath and anger of God. These are
accompanied by the earthquake of doubts. -AB {2}
The Covenant is to be violated during the Age of Pisces. Indeed, there have always been violators of
the Covenant. Among Christian theologians there are still burning questions concerning the
Successorship to Jesus, and the roles of Peter and Paul. Equally hot questions surround the
Successorship to Muhammad.

THE FIRST TRUMPET BLAST:

The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood, and they were cast upon
the earth: and the third part of the trees was burnt up, and all green grass was burnt up. -Rev 8:7

Verses 7 through 9 concern the impending series of persecutions of the Christians by Rome from
110 until 311 CE. It was during an earlier persecution that John was banished to Patmos where he
wrote the Apocalypse.
The persecutions of the early Christians can be divided into 3 series. A minor persecution began
under the Emperor Nero in 64 CE as a result of his blaming the Christians for the Great Fire of Rome.
The first great persecution began in 110 CE, about 6 years after the writing of the Apocalypse, as a
result of the Roman State stigmatizing Christianity as a crime. This persecution lasted sporadically
until 238 CE. In the last phase of this persecution, attempts were made to destroy the clergy as
propagators of the Faith.
Hail and fire mingled with blood represent great tests from heaven and wrath accompanied by
death. "Green grass" are the righteous Christians; "trees" are their spiritual leaders. Verse 7 says that
all the righteous Christians and one-third of the spiritual leaders will be destroyed during the first
great persecution, 110-238 CE. {3}

THE SECOND TRUMPET BLAST:

And the second angel sounded, and as it were a great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea:
and the third part of the sea became blood; And the third part of the creatures which were in the sea,
and had life, died; and the third part of the ships were destroyed. -Rev 8:8-9

These verses warn of the second great persecution of 249-311 CE. Initiated by the emperor Decius,
it was continued with increased vigor under the emperor Diocletian. The cause of this persecution was
primarily an attempt to reverse the course of social decay and decline in Roman morality through a
revival of the ancient pagan cult. This last and most severe of the anti-Christian campaigns resulted in
executions, torture, book and church burnings on a large scale.
As previously noted, a mountain is a religion. The ship was an early symbol of a church, a 'refuge of
safety and peace in a sea of chaos.' The influence of Pisces is apparent here- "the creatures which are in
the sea" are floundering souls. Just as some grass is 'green,' some fishes are 'alive' and will have
become followers of Jesus.

... "Come with me, and I will make you fishers of men." -REB: Matt 4:19

When the second herald sounds, the great mountain of Christianity will seem to have been sent
flaming into the sea of destruction and chaos. The sea will become as death-blood, and one-third of
those Christians who are in the sea of tribulation will lose their spiritual life. One third of the churches
will be destroyed.

THE THIRD TRUMPET BLAST:

And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it
fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; And the name of the star is
called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the
waters, because they were made bitter. -Rev 8:10-11

Constantine the Great, ended the persecutions and made Christianity the official Faith of Rome.
Wishing to consolidate his empire with the aid of Christianity, he was determined to bring an end to

the theological and doctrinal disputes, often querulous, that had plagued the Christian Church since
the rift between Peter and Paul. He called the Council of Nicea in 325 CE to resolve these disputes.
Although the Nicene Creed that 'defined' a Christian came out of this council, the quarrels between the
several factions became embittered beyond resolution. Numerous heresies and schisms resulted from
Constantine's totalitarian policy. His policy was continued by most of his successors, and eventually
resulted in the Theodosian Code of 438 that inflicted the death penalty on those who denied the
doctrine of the Trinity! In various forms, many of the bitter arguments between the early Christian
factions persist to this day.
Christianity was divided into three major streams- the Eastern stream flowing from Constantinople,
the Western stream flowing from Rome, and the third stream flowing from the schismatic Asian and
African churches. Constantine 'the Great Star,' had his greatest influence over the "third of the waters"
flowing from Constantinople. Eventually, the policy initiated by Constantine resulted in the bitter
Schism of 1054 that decisively split the Eastern and Western streams of the Church. Constantine
became a "fallen star" and "Wormwood."
Rivers and fountains are the mainstreams of spiritual guidance. "From time immemorial even unto
this day, all the kindreds and peoples of the earth have clung to ... fanciful and unseemly thoughts, and
thus have deprived themselves of the clear waters streaming from the springs of purity and holiness. .."
"They drink of the tainted water, and know it not." -BH {5}

THE FOURTH TRUMPET BLAST:

And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the
moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not
for a third part of it, and the night likewise. -Rev 8:12

The prophecy concerns the period of history known as the Dark Age of Europe that began with the
invasion of the West by the Visigoths under Alaric the Bold in 408. The smiting of the West resulted in
a third part of the "sun, moon and stars" (the 'heavenly hierarchy') being cut off from the mainstream
of Christianity. The result was a malevolent darkening of the Church that lasted about 6 centuries.
Two baleful episodes during the Dark Age will be mentioned very briefly. One was the Photian
Schism of 869. The schism resulted from a clash between pope Nicholas I of Rome, and Photius, the
patriarch of Constantinople. It concerned a number of theological issues, but, in particular, the
'trichotomy dispute.' According to trichotomism, man is composed of body, soul and spirit. As a result
of the schism, Western man, dogmatically, has only a body and a soul (dichotomism ). The mind of
Western man became more firmly controlled by the papacy, with profound effects felt to this day.
Some effects have been the 'mindless soldier' and the ascendance of materialism in the West.
The nadir of the Church was probably reached in the middle of the tenth century when the papacy
fell under the de facto control of two women of ill repute, Theodora and Morozia. This period of papal
history is called the 'Pornocracy.'
Verse 12 says that the Church will become darkened for a third part of the Lord's Day and the third
part of the ensuing night. The Lord's Day commenced with the Advent of Jesus Christ (circa 5 BCE)
and ended with the Advent of Muhammad (circa 613 CE), a period of about 617 years. Thus the day
will be darkened for one-third of the Lord's Day (about 206 years), or the period from 408 to 613 CE.
A "Night" is the period between two Divine Revelations when the Sun of Truth is not manifest
among men. {6} The Sun of Muhammad was eclipsed by the usurpation of the caliphate by the House
of Umayyah in 661, and did not shine again until the Declaration of the Bab in 1844, a period of about
1183 years. Thus the prophecy says that the Dark Age will end after another 394 years, the period from
661 until 1055. This last date is very close to the Great Schism of 1054.

THE THREE WOES TO COME:

And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe,
woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels,
which are about to sound!. -Rev 8:13

[REB: 13 "As I looked, I heard an eagle calling with a loud cry as it flew in mid-heaven: ...]

In 1054 CE, the constellation Flying Eagle (aka Scorpion) was about midway between its original
position that it had at the beginning of the Piscean Age and its future position that it would take as a
Pillar (corner) of the Leo-Aquarian Age. John "hears" the eagle warning of three more "Woes" to come.
Ezekiel tells us what a Woe is:

"Son of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God; Howl ye, Woe worth the day! For the day is
near, even the day of the Lord is near, a cloudy day; it shall be the time of the heathen." -Ez 30:2-3

A Woe is a Lord's Day, that is, the Advent of a Manifestation of God. 'Abdu'l-Bahá tells us,
"Therefore it is certain that the day of woe is the Day of the Lord; for in that day woe is for the
neglectful, woe is for the sinners, woe is for the ignorant." -AB {4}
The Advent of Jesus the Messiah was one such Woe. But now John is told that three more Woes will
be announced in the Apocalypse. The three Woes to come will be the Advents of Muhammad, the Bab
and Bahá'u'lláh.
In astrological symbolism, the three Woes correspond to the 'fiery triplicity,' that is, Sagittarius,
Aries and Leo. The wrath of God that will attend Sagittarius the Archer will be announced in Chapter
9. The wrath of Aries the Lamb has been previewed in 6:16. The wrath of Leo the Lion will be the
subject of the last 9 Chapters.

In each Dispensation, 'wrath' attends the judgement of the mischief makers of the dying civilization.
Following His role as a 'bringer of the wrath of God,' the Manifestation assumes His role as a Pillar of
the Age. That is why the signs of Jesus are both a Lamb and a Fish, and the signs of the Bab are both a
Lamb and a Man.

CHAPTER 9 - THE FALL OF CHRISTENDOM ↩

SYNOPSIS:

Chapter 9 describes the impact of Islamdom on Christendom.

The 5th herald announces the catastrophe experienced by Christendom following the Ascension of
Muhammad, the first Woe. The forces of the illegitimate caliphate overpower the schismatic Asian and
African churches. The duration of the "plague" is given as 150 years, beginning with the Fall of
Jerusalem in 637 and ending with the peak of the Muslim empire under Caliph Harun ar- Rashid in
786. The secret king of the illegitimate caliphate is Abu-Sufyan, the arch-enemy of Muhammad and
patriarch of the infamous House of Umayyah.
The 6th herald announces and describes the Fall of Constantinople and Eastern Christendom to the
Ottoman Turks in 1453. The duration of the power of the Ottomans is given as 391 years, to be
terminated by the Advent of the Bab, the second Woe, in 1844.
The rest of Christendom, infected by idolatry and other perversions, does not repent. The result is
the Protestant Reformation and the decay of Christendom into thousands of sects.

THE FIFTH TRUMPET BLAST:

And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the
key of the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as
the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth; and to them was given power, as the
scorpions of the earth have power. And it was commanded of them that they should not hurt the grass
of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of
God in their foreheads. -Rev 9:1-4

The Muslim invasions of Asian and African Christendom began circa 633 CE. While ferocious
fighters of idol worshipers and other enemies of monotheism, the early Muslim warriors were noted
for their justice and tolerance of other monotheistic Faiths, notably Sabaeanism, Christianity and
Judaism. It is important to understand that the aggressive invasions by Islamdom were not instigated
by Muhammad but by the Caliphs (Successors) following the Ascension of Muhammad.
The question of the Successorship was the historical origin of the Shi'ah and Sunni divisions of
Islamdom. The first 4 Caliphs, often called the Rightly-Guided, generally followed the policy enjoined
by Muhammad. However, according to Shi'ah belief, Muhammad had actually chosen His son-in-law
'Ali as His Caliph. Although 'Ali later arose to His appointed station, He was assassinated under
mysterious circumstances before He could consolidate His power. The caliphate fell to the Umayyad
pretender, Mu'awiyah, the son of Abu-Sufyan who was the arch-enemy of Muhammad. The course of
political intrigue set in motion by Abu-Sufyan eventually achieved success, and, by beclouding the
principles of Islam, Abu-Sufyan became a "fallen star."
While the Shi'ah have tenaciously promoted a caliphate based on the legitimate descendants of 'Ali,
the Sunni have argued that the caliphate should go to the one most qualified for the position.{1}
The bottomless pit is the 'pit of error.' -AB {2} The smoke arising from the pit symbolizes
obscurement. The Sun of Truth was obscured, and the atmosphere of nearness to God was stifled by
the smoke. "As for them who have disbelieved in Him, they shall be in the shadow of a black smoke."
-BH {3}
The plague of mounted Arabian warriors are described as "locusts." The scorpion was a quickfirer
that permitted rapid discharge of arrows. (Apparently, in the 7th century zodiac, 'scorpion tendencies'
still dominated over 'eagle tendencies.')
Grass, green things and trees are the commoners, the righteous people and their spiritual leaders.
The command not to hurt the righteous was given by Muhammad. {4} We recall that in Chapter 7,
verse 3, Muhammad 'sealed' the righteous.

FIVE MONTHS OF TORMENT:

And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five
months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man. And in those
days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
-Rev 9:5-6

A 'prophetic day' is a year of calendar time, and a 'prophetic month' is 30 calendar years. Therefore
five "months" are 150 calendar years. The Muslim Empire was carved out in a space of about 150 years
from the Fall of Jerusalem in 637 until the peak of the empire under Caliph Harun ar-Rashid in 786.

THE HORSEMEN DESCRIBED:

And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it
were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of

women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions. And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of
iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle. And
they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails; and their power was to hurt men
five months. -Rev 9:7-10

John describes the appearance of the mounted Arabian warriors as locusts, their quickfirers as
scorpions, their arrows as stings, and their chariots as wings.
The influence of Sagittarius the Archer is seen here. The constellation Sagittarius has Scorpio
following 'in its tail' and is adjacent to the Southern Crown in the night sky. The word picture of
Sagittarius corresponds faithfully to modern astrological descriptors. We recall that Sagittarius is one
of the four corners of the Piscean Age, and also belongs to the fiery triplicity.

THE DESTROYER:

And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew
tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. -Rev 9:11

[REB: 11 ".... whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in the Greek Apollyon, the Destroyer.]

The "Destroyer" was Abu-Sufyan, the arch-enemy of Muhammad and His Revelation, the patriarch
of the detestable House of Umayyah, and the progenitor of the illegitimate caliphate. It was during the
Umayyad dynasty that the insidious practice was introduced of fabricating traditions ascribed to
Muhammad, maligning and denigrating 'Ali. Several minions were bribed into corrupting and
distorting Muslim doctrine, text, belief and practice.

THE FIRST WOE IS PAST:

One woe is past; and behold there come two woes more hereafter. - Rev 9:12

The Woe that is past is the Advent of Muhammad. The two remaining Woes are to be the Advents of
the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh.

THE SIXTH TRUMPET BLAST:

And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is
before God. Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in
the great river Euphrates. 15 And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a
day, and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men. -Rev 9:13-15

[REB: 15 "... they had been held in readiness for this very year, month, day, and hour."]

(The Jewish altar of burnt offerings had a horn extending from each of its four corners. An oath was
contracted by seizing a horn of the altar with the right hand. The symbolism of the Four can be found
in the Introduction.)
We recall that the 4 angels have been introduced in Rev 7:1. They correspond to the 4 'corners of the
square earth' and therefore control the events that are to transpire during the Age of Pisces. They were
'held back' by Muhammad from 'hurting the earth' until the servants of God were sealed. Now they are
to be loosed to do their damage to the world of man.
The prophecy concerns the Fall of Constantinople and Eastern Christendom in 1453. For about
three hundred years prior to their arrival in Eastern Europe, Islamdom seemed to have been 'bound' to
the Euphrates river system with Eastern Christendom safely protected from further incursions behind

the formidable Taurus mountain range. The Ottoman Turks, probably the most warlike of the Muslim
dynasties, ended this false sense of security when they skirted the Taurus and crossed the Hellespont
in 1357.
By the year 1453, Christendom was again divided into three streams represented by the Eastern
Orthodox, the Roman Catholic, and the anti-papist Christians who would soon become known as the
Protestant branch. The Fall of Constantinople was said to have 'cut off one-third of Christendom.'
How long will the 4 angels have the power to do their damage? The answer is given in verse 15: for a
"year, month, day, and hour." In calendar time, the computation is as follows:

'PROPHETIC TIME' = CALENDAR TIME

1 'prophetic year' = 360 calendar years
1 'prophetic month' = 30 calendar years
1 'prophetic day' = 1 calendar year
1 'prophetic hour' = (to be determined)
........................................................…
Total time = 391 calendar years + an 'hour'

We separate the term 'hour' to be discussed in more detail.

The duration of the wrath of the 4 angels is to be approximately 391 calendar years. Adding 391 to
1453, the date of the Fall of Constantinople, produces 1844, the date of the Declaration of the Bab and
the Second Woe. The Second Woe ended the Dispensation of Muhammad and the power of the 4
angels who controlled the world of man during the Age of Pisces.
We now investigate the meaning of the "Hour."
The "Hour' has already been encountered {5} and will be seen again in later chapters. {6} The term
refers to the 'Hour of Judgement,' that is, the moment when the Manifestation declares His mission.
Thus at verse 15, the meaning of the "Hour" is the moment of the second Woe. Eastern Christendom
fell to Islamdom on May 30, 1453. The Declaration of the Bab was on May 23, 1844, almost exactly 391
years later.

A TEST OF CREDULITY:

And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the
number of them. And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having
breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone; and the heads of the horses were as the heads of
lions; and out of their mouths issued fire and smoke and brimstone. -Rev 9:16-17

[REB: 16 "And their squadrons of cavalry numbered twice ten thousand times ten thousand; this was
the number I heard."

Two-hundred-million cavalry troops is enough to stretch the credulity of even the most committed
literalist. By comparison, the Allies were able to muster only about one-percent of this number of
fighting men for the D-Day invasion during World War II.
Very little of the Apocalypse should or can be taken literally. The rare places that literal
interpretations apply serve as guideposts to assure the seeker that he is on the right path. As in
Chapter 7, we are again forced to recognize that the number is occult, not literal. John simply 'hears'
the number, he does not actually 'see' an endless array of 200,000,000 men on horseback.
The significant number is the archetypal value of 'two'. The verse should be read as 'two large
armies.' Constantinople was taken by two separate armies under the command of the Ottoman Sultan
Mehmet II: his own army of Muslim regulars and an independent army of Christian Janissaries. In his

vision John describes their colorful breastplates as "fiery red, turquoise, and sulphur-yellow ... " (REB)
In the imagery of the first-century, he sees fifteenth-century flared cannons as "horses" with mouths
that roar like lions. The description of the sulphurous (brimstone) smoke that issues from their
mouths is chemically accurate.

By these three was a third part of men killed, by the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone,
which issued out of their mouths. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails
were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt. -Rev 9:18-19

Mehmet employed Urban, an Hungarian engineer, to construct the cannons for the assault. The
largest of these was 26 feet long and fired a ball weighing over half-a-ton! John explains, quite
accurately, that the breeches (tails) of the cannons (horses) contain projectiles (serpent's heads) that
strike the enemy with great force.

THE STATE OF THE SURVIVORS:

And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their
hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of
wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their
sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts. -Rev 9:20-21

[REB: 20 "The rest of mankind who survived these plagues still did not renounce the gods they had
made, ...]

John describes the state of affairs in Christendom and the Church following the Fall of Eastern
Christendom. Idolatry, in the form of worship of icons and reliquaries, had existed in the Church since
the Dark Age. By 1453, the practice had further degenerated into the worship of idols of the saints.
Another defilement was the selling of indulgences, the payment of money as a substitute for penitence.
The result of these and other abuses was the depressing history of the Reformation. The period is
notable for the disastrous Thirty Years War (1618-1648) between Protestants and Catholics, and the
Black Mass. Witches seemed to abound everywhere, with tens-of-thousands, real or imagined, being
tortured and burnt at the stake. Ultimately, the Christian Church disintegrated into the thousands of
sects that we see today.

CHAPTER 10 - INTERLUDE ↩

SYNOPSIS:

Chapter 10 is an interlude, a resting space between the prophecies concerning Christendom and
Islamdom.
The mighty angel of Bahá'u'lláh, the Lion of Judah, descends from the heavens with clouds, the
rainbow of the Covenant, and his face shining in midday splendor. His legs "like pillars of fire" allude
to the two "blazing" bronze pillars that stood before Solomon's Temple, with occult names that
prophesied the Advent of Bahá'u'lláh.
One of Bahá'u'lláh's works, THE HIDDEN WORDS, is shown to John. The "little book" actually
reveals the hidden words of the 7 Manifestations of the 7 Churches, who speak in 7 'thunderous voices.'
John proceeds to write down these words but is told to 'seal them up' because the time for their
revelation has not yet arrived. Bahá'u'lláh tells John that he must wait, but that the hidden purpose of
God will be revealed in the future at the trumpet blast of the seventh herald.
The "voice from heaven" then commands John to "swallow" [believe in] the Hidden Words. When

he does so, he discovers that the words are easy to say but difficult to live by.
Finally, John is told that he must start over, to prophesy a second time concerning the spiritual
history of the Piscean Age, but this time to the peoples of Islam.

THE MIGHTY ANGEL OF THE COVENANT:

And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, clothed with a cloud: and a rainbow was
upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his feet as pillars of fire. -Rev 10:1

[REB: 1 ".... and his legs were like pillars of fire."]

The mighty angel is Bahá'u'lláh. As explained previously, every Manifestation comes with the
'clouds' of glory that signal both the bounty of heaven and the dread of judgement. The rainbow about
His head is the eternal Covenant that is renewed with each Day of God. His countenance shines as the
Sun at median splendor. {1}
His legs that shine like fire remind us of the two magnificent bronze pillars that stood before
Solomon's Temple that Solomon named 'Boaz' and 'Jachin' {2}. Possibly symbolic of the pillars of
cloud and fire that guided the Hebrews through the wilderness {3}, they also have occult significance.
For one, the words literally mean 'Boaz will establish.' Boaz was the grandfather of Jesse, and the
great-grandfather of David. {4} Bahá'u'lláh is a descendant of Boaz and Jesse; as such, He is the
'Branch out of the Stem of Jesse,' and the 'Scion from the Root of Jesse.' {5} Among many marvelous
things, Isaiah prophesied that all the nations of the world will 'seek Him out' and that "His abode will
be glorious," probably a reference to Bahá'u'lláh's sacred Shrine on the plain of Sharon.
If one pronounces the initial letters of 'Boaz' (Beth) and 'Jachin' (Ayn) in Hebrew, the sound is
'Bahá'.' And, further, the gematrical values of these two letters are 2 and 70, with the mystic sum of 72.
The archetypal value of 72 is Nine {6}, the seal of Bahá'u'lláh.

THE LITTLE BOOK:

And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea and his left foot on the
earth. -Rev 10:2

The little book is the Word of God as revealed by the Manifestations. Although the words in the
little book are remarkably few, their implications cannot be written into any number of tomes.
Bahá'u'lláh wrote just such a little book, THE HIDDEN WORDS, which He "clothed in the garment of
brevity, as a token of grace unto the righteous …"
Bahá'u'lláh rests his feet upon both the sea and the earth. Obvious astrological idiom is seen here:
the zodiac is divided into two halves, 'dry land' and the 'waters below.' Bahá'u'lláh straddles the Ages,
looking down from the heavens with his right foot on the 'waters below' and His left foot on the 'dry
land' of the zodiac.
The symbols have other meanings: the sea is chaotic, filled with uncertainty and danger; dry land is
relatively stable, more certain and secure. More will be said about these symbols in later chapters.

THE LION OF JUDAH ROARS:

And cried with a loud voice, as a lion roareth: and when he had cried, seven thunders uttered their
voices, And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice
from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them
not. -Rev 10:3-4

[REB: 3 "... when he shouted, the seven thunders spoke."

Bahá'u'lláh, as the Pillar of Lion/Judah during the Age of Leo-Aquarius, roars with the thunderous
voices of the Manifestations of the Seven Churches of Asia. Again, the words are remarkably few in
number, and John proceeds to write them down. However, he is warned not to do so, since the Words
must remain Hidden until the Piscean Age is completed.

A SWORN OATH:

And the angel which I saw upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, 6 And sware
by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth,
and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time
no longer: 7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the
mystery of God shall be finished, as he hath declared to his servants and prophets. -Rev 10:5-7

[REB: 6-7 .... "There shall be no more delay; when the time comes for the seventh angel to sound his
trumpet, the hidden purpose of God will have been fulfilled, as he promised to his servants the
prophets."]

There was a delay of more than 18 centuries following Jesus' prophecy of the Kingdom, and more
than 12 centuries following the prophecy by Muhammad. Now, with the blast of the 7th trumpet, the
delays will have been finished, the purpose of Creation will be revealed, and the promised Kingdom
will become a reality.

JOHN 'SWALLOWS' THE LITTLE BOOK:

And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book
which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and the earth. And I went unto the
angel, and he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up, and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in
thy mouth sweet as honey. And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in
my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. -Rev 10:8-10

John is commanded to 'swallow,' that is, to accept the commands and precepts of the Prophets. He
discovers that their beautiful words are easy to say, but difficult to actually live by.

JOHN IS COMMANDED TO PROPHESY A SECOND TIME:

And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and
kings. -Rev 10:11

John has just prophesied to Christendom, now he must prophesy once again, this time to
Islamdom.

CHAPTER 11 - THE COURSE OF ISLAMDOM ↩

SYNOPSIS:

This and the following two chapters describe events meaningful to Islamdom.
The chapter opens with a warning to John that Jerusalem will be under the dominion of Gentiles
until the year 1260 of the Muslim lunar calendar. But during that time, the spiritual Holy of Holies will

be left intact, and that the perfections of the souls within that spiritual temple should be measured
with a spiritual measure.
God, through Bahá'u'lláh, tells John that He will confer the power of prophecy to His two
Witnesses, Muhammad and 'Ali, for all those 1260 lunar years. They will have the same Prophethood
as Moses and Aaron.
After they have completed their work, the loathsome House of Umayyah will ascend from the pit of
theological error and destroy all the good works that Muhammad and 'Ali will have accomplished.
Nevertheless, the outward body of observances of Islam will be kept alive, even though the living spirit
will have left the Faith.
But in the year 1260 of the Muslim calendar, the Religion of God will be 'resurrected,' and
Muhammad and 'Ali will be re- Manifested in the Persons of the Bab and his leading disciple, Quddus.
Great fear and frenzied excitement will seize the Muslim world. Both the Bab and Quddus will be
martyred and ascend to heaven in 'clouds of glory' in the presence of their enemies.
After their Ascension, and during the Dispensation of the Bab, a great earthquake will shake Shiraz,
the Bab's birthplace. 7-thousand people will be killed.
The Bab's Advent marks the second Woe. The third Woe, the Advent of Bahá'u'lláh, will follow very
shortly after the second.
True to the promise of the angel of Bahá'u'lláh in Chapter 10, the blast of the seventh heralding
angel announces the Kingdom of God on earth. The heavenly Temple is opened, and John sees that the
Ark of the Covenant still exists in the spiritual realm.
The Covenant will be broken once again.

MEASURING THE TEMPLE OF GOD:

And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the
temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. But the court which is without the temple
leave out, and measure it not; for it is given unto the Gentiles: and the holy city shall they tread under
foot forty and two months. -Rev 11:1-2

The mighty angel of Chapter 10 is still speaking to John.{1} As explained previously, the Arabic
name of the mighty angel is 'Bahá'u'lláh,' which translates into English as 'The Glory of God.' On earth
He is also called the 'King of Glory,' and in the angelic realm of Daniel and the Apocalypse, He is
sometimes called 'Michael.'{11}
The "reed" ("cane" in REB) is the rod of the Divine Shepherd, used to guide the weak. John is
instructed to use it as a cubit to discover the conditions, perfections, behavior and attributes of those
who are to dwell inside the Holy of Holies. But he is told that the court of the temple, that is, the
physical temple, is to be overrun by the Gentiles for 42 "months."
We recall that a 'prophetic month' equals 30 calendar years. Thus 42 'months' are 1260 calendar
years. Since the prophecy concerns Islamdom, and since the lunar calendar is to be used in that realm,
the period of time is to be 1260 lunar years as measured in the Muslim calendar. 1260 AH {2} is
identical to 1844 CE, the date of the Declaration of the Bab and the second Woe. The Bab declared the
end of the Dispensation of Muhammad.
John is being told that the holy city Jerusalem and the material Holy of Holies is to be given to the
Gentiles for the duration of the Dispensation of Muhammad, but that the spiritual Holy of Holies is to
be left inviolate.
When Jerusalem was taken by the great Caliph Umar in 637 CE, the Christian Bishop Sophronius
placed a condition upon the bloodless surrender of Jerusalem- that the Jews must be strictly excluded
from the Holy Land. In principle, Umar agreed to this condition, but permitted about 70 Jewish
families to remain as residents. In the year 1260 AH, the Edict of Toleration was promulgated by the
Ottoman Turks, allowing the Jews to legally reenter the Holy Land, thereby ending the 'time of the
Gentiles.' Throughout this period the spiritual Holy of Holies, that is, the Law of God, was respected

and left inviolate.
On a more mundane level, Umar erected a shrine (the Dome of the Rock) over the Rock Moriah, the
physical location of the Holy of Holies, for the exclusive use of Muslim worshipers. Also, he left the
inside of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher to Christian worship, while the outer court of the church
was given to Muslim worship.

THE TWO WITNESSES:

And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and
threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 4 These are the two olive trees, and the two candlesticks
standing before the God of the earth. And if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their
mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed.
-Rev 11:3-5

[REB: 4 "They are the two olive trees and the two lamps that stand in the presence of the Lord of the
earth.]

God will confer the power of prophecy to His two Witnesses, Muhammad and 'Ali, for 1260 lunar
years, terminating at the year 1844 CE. Their teachings will not seem to be new: Muhammad's
spiritual laws (brotherly love, humility, reverence, justice, etc.) will correspond to those of the Gospel,
while most of the laws relating to the material world (fasting, forms of worship and prayer, marriage,
divorce, etc.) will correspond to those of the Pentateuch. Therefore, their teachings will be clothed in
old raiment (sackcloth).
Muhammad and 'Ali are to be God's sources of spiritual sustenance and light, like olive oil that is
both a food and a fuel for lamps. If anyone shall try to harm His two Witnesses, fiery words of the Lord
will issue from their mouths and their enemies will be put to flight.
In this chapter we experience the influence of Gemini, The Twins, one of the astrological pillars of
the square earth during the Age of Pisces.

THEIR POWERS:

These have the power to shut heaven, that it rain not in the days of their prophecy: and have the power
over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all plagues, as often as they will. -Rev
11:6

Muhammad will have the same Prophethood as Moses, while 'Ali will be delegated the same power
as Aaron {3}. Thus, jointly, they will have the power to cut off the rain of heavenly bounty {4}; to turn
the waters of spiritual life into death blood {5}; and to smite the world with various plagues as often as
they will {6}.

THE BEAST FROM THE BOTTOMLESS PIT:

And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit
shall make war against them, and kill them. -Rev 11:7

[REB: 7 "... will wage war on them and will overcome and kill them.]
We have already had a portent of these events when we discovered some of the nefarious tactics of
the Umayyah in Chapter 9. Muhammad had prophesied:

"We will bring to them a beast from the earth. It will speak to them, for mankind would not be
convinced of our signs." -Qur'an 27:82

After Muhammad and 'Ali will have performed all that which God has commanded them to do, the
House of Umayyah will ascend out of the pit of error, determined to destroy the Revelation of
Muhammad and the Reality of 'Ali. They will succeed in their designs and gain the victory, so that the
virtues and perfections diffused by the power of these two Witnesses shall be entirely dispelled.

THE 'BODIES' OF THE TWO WITNESSES LIE 'DEAD':

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and
Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and
nations shall see their dead bodies three days and a half and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put
in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send
gifts to one another: because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. -Rev 11:8-10

[REB: 8 "Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, whose name in prophetic language is
Sodom, or Egypt, ...]

A 'prophetic day' is also a 'time,' and a 'time' is 360 calendar years. Therefore 3 1/2 "days" are 1260
calendar years.
The Religion of God will lie as a dead body without spirit in the region of the Middle East that is
under the control of the Umayyah. The region will become the land of Sodom (sin) and Egypt
(materialism). The nations, tribes, and peoples of Islamdom will make a spectacle of the Religion of
God, clinging to the outward appearances by not allowing the "body" of observances to be destroyed.
This they will do for 1260 lunar years, the entire Dispensation of Muhammad. The other peoples of the
earth, including the branches of Christendom, will rejoice to see the corruption of morals that will
infect the peoples of Islamdom; they will assist each other (give gifts) in their struggles with Islamdom,
because the powerful utterances of Muhammad and 'Ali had been a torment to them.

THEIR 'REVIVAL':

And after three days and a half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their
feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. -Rev 11:11

In the year 1260 AH, the Divine teachings, heavenly virtues, perfections, and spiritual bounties of
Muhammad and 'Ali will be renewed by the appearance of the Bab and Quddus. Great fear will seize
the populace.
The relationship between the Bab and His young Apostle, Quddus, was the same as that between
Muhammad and 'Ali, or Moses and Aaron. Although the Bab had 18 Apostles, called 'Letters of the
Living,' Quddus was the Bab's most devoted Apostle and next in spiritual rank beneath the Bab. The
Religion of God was renewed by the Bab with the help of Quddus and His other Apostles during a sixyear ministry from May 23, 1844 until His public Martyrdom at midday, July 9, 1850. His public
declaration that He was the One foretold by numerous prophecies of Islam and other Faiths, and that
He was the Forerunner of the Promised One of All Ages (Bahá'u'lláh) caused great fear among the
Muslims, leading to armed attacks, confiscation of property, torture, and martyrdom of tens of
thousands of His devotees.

THEY ASCEND 'IN A CLOUD':

And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to
heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them. -Rev 11:12

The voice from the invisible heaven called the Bab and Quddus to ascend in a 'cloud of glory.' The
Bab was publicly martyred by a regimental firing squad on July 9, 1850. The smoke from the 750 fire
arms was so dense that it blotted out the light of the sun at noontime. (Miraculously, the first regiment
of Christian soldiers were unable to hit their mark, fulfilling the Bab's own prophecy that no one would
be able to take His life until His full testimony had been completed.) After being tortured to death,
the body of Quddus was destroyed by fire. Multitudes of enemies witnessed their fates, many testifying
to their greatness and perfection.

A GREAT EARTHQUAKE:

And the same hour was there a great earthquake, and the tenth part of the city fell, and in the
earthquake were slain of men seven thousand: and the remnant were affrighted, and gave glory to the
God of heaven. -Rev 11:13

Indeed, there were two earthquakes during the "Hour" of the Bab: the first occurred the day after
His Martyrdom and shook Istanbul, the seat of the caliphate. The earthquake of verse 13 destroyed
much of Shiraz, the birthplace of the Bab. This second earthquake occurred about one year prior to the
Advent of Bahá'u'lláh.

THE SECOND WOE IS PAST:

The second woe is past, and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. -Rev 11:14

The Hour of the Bab is past. The Hour of Bahá'u'lláh will follow very shortly.
Again we see the influence of Gemini in the Twin Manifestation, the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh. The
Advent of Bahá'u'lláh occurred in the year Nine of the Babi Dispensation. Shortly after Bahá'u'lláh
received His Revelation, some close confidants were informed of the Great Announcement. The Babi
Dispensation lasted another ten years, after which Bahá'u'lláh made a public Declaration of His
mission in the Garden of Paradise, in the proximity of ancient Babylon and modern Baghdad.
There is great mystery here. For the first time in recorded history, the Dispensations of two
Manifestations overlapped in mundane time. Also astonishing is the very short period between the
Ascension of the first Twin and the Advent of the second Twin.
Two mystic numbers are expressed in the Twinship: Nine and Nineteen. Besides Nine being the
year of His Advent, Nine is the gematrical value of the word 'Bahá',' and is the seal of Bahá'u'lláh.
The number Nineteen is especially associated with the Bab, since He and His Apostles numbered
19, and His Dispensation lasted 19 years. Nineteen is also the 'mystery of the Qur'an.' Through
modern, computer-aided research, it has been discovered that the Qur'an conceals the number 19 in
such recondite abundance, that the Divine inspiration of the Qur'an can hardly be doubted.

THE SEVENTH TRUMPET BLAST:

And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this
world are become kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever. -Rev
11:15

[REB: 15 .... 'Sovereignty over the world has passed to our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign for
ever.']

During the Age of Pisces, the world was under the dominion of venomous forces represented by the
Four Horses of the Apocalypse: perversion of the Religion of God, warmongering, economic injustice,
and un-Godliness. Now, in the Age of Leo-Aquarius, the sovereignty will pass to God the Father and

His Anointed One. Unlike former prophetic Cycles, the Cycle initiated by Bahá'u'lláh will encompass
all the Ages of the zodiac. {12}
The word 'Christ' is possibly the least understood word in the lexicon. 'Christos' is the Greek
equivalent of 'Messiah,' ( Heb. 'Mashgiah') meaning, literally, 'Anointed.' Originally, the term meant
simply a king, and was a Jewish regal title. In the messianic period at the close of the Age of Aries, it
gradually became identified with the King of the Age of Redemption, and was applied to Jesus of
Nazareth by the early Christians.{7}
Of course we are interested in the term as used in the Apocalypse, realizing that God can 'anoint'
whomsoever He chooses. A powerful clue is given in Isaiah {8}, where the Lord 'anoints' king Cyrus of
Persia, "before whom doors will be opened and no gates barred." (REB) Like David, Cyrus had the
power to open a new door of history, and it is in this sense that the term 'Christ' is correctly applied to
Jesus and to all of the Lord's 'Anointed.' The 'Return of Christ' means the 'return' of the Perfect Holy
Mirror, the One who will reflect the attributes of God and thereby renew the Ages.
The Bab opened a new door of history and is, therefore, a 'Christ.' But the title is applicable to each
and every Manifestation of God, and is applicable to Bahá'u'lláh as well. We find Bahá'u'lláh
instructing: "Make this known unto them [the servants of God], that nothing whatsoever may shut
them out from Thy Beauty, in these days whereon the Christ exclaimeth: 'All dominion is thine O Thou
Begetter of the Spirit [Jesus]'...' -BH {9}

GOD IS PRAISED:

And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and
worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to
come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry,
and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest
give reward unto thy servants the prophets and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and
great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth. -Rev 11:16-18

With the seventh trumpet blast, the Lord of the Age will assume power in the name of God. The
twice-twelve Elders of the Age of Leo-Aquarius, who are seated around the throne of Bahá'u'lláh,
prostrate themselves before Him and give thanks to God, Who is eternal, and never dies, in spite of His
seeming death in times of great personal distress and corruption of the world of man. Now, the Lord
will assume power over the earth, and reward each man and woman according to that which they truly
deserve. The nations and peoples of the world who oppose Bahá'u'lláh will be angry, because God's
teachings do not agree with what they expected through their own idle fancies and vain imaginings. All
who fail to follow His precepts and commands will be deprived of everlasting bounty, and veiled from
the light of the Sun of Reality. The righteous will be distinguished by endless bounty, making them
shine on the horizon of eternal honor. The spiritually dead will be deprived, making manifest the
blindness of the blind, and the ignorance of the people of error.

GOD'S SANCTUARY IS OPENED:

And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in the temple the ark of his
testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
-Rev 11:19

[REB: 19 God's sanctuary in heaven was opened, and within his sanctuary was seen the ark of his
covenant. ...]

John sees that the true sanctuary of God is in heaven, not on the Rock Moriah, and that the spiritual
Ark of the Covenant still resides there, as it always has. When the Temple of God in heaven is opened,

the Divine teachings will be diffused in all directions. The Book of His Testament and the Epistle of the
Covenant will be reestablished. There will be a great storm of the spirit. There will flash the lightnings
of the anger and wrath of God. The thunder of the violation of the Covenant will resound, and an
earthquake of doubts will shake the world of man. A hail of torments will beat upon the violators of the
Covenant, and even those who professed belief will fall into trials and temptations.
The physical Temple was destroyed by Titus in 70 CE. The cherished Ark of the Covenant had
mysteriously disappeared many centuries earlier, and its fate is not known to this day. {10}
The Covenant was again violated by the 'archbreaker' Mirza Muhammad-'Ali, a half-brother of
'Abdu'l-Bahá.

CHAPTER 12 - THE TRAVAIL OF THE WORD ↩

SYNOPSIS:

This chapter reveals the travail of the Law of God during the Dispensation of Muhammad. {1}
The constellation Virgo (the Virgin) is seen in the heavens. Besides representing the parallel cults of
Mary and Fatima during the Age of Pisces-Virgo, she represents the Law of God during the
Dispensation of Muhammad.
John also sees the constellation Draco (the Dragon), blood- colored to symbolize war. It is identified
as the illegitimate caliphate initiated by the House of Umayyah that conquers 7- dominions and has 10
un-repeated names, destroys one-third of the saintly lineage of Muhammad, and keeps a watchful eye
to prevent the rebirth of the true Law of God.
Nevertheless, the Law delivers a child, the Twelfth Imam, who disappears mysteriously without a
trace. The Twelfth Imam is destined to 're-appear' as the Bab in the year 1260 AH.
In the meantime, the Law will find refuge in the remote wilderness areas of Arabia where she is to
be kept alive and well until the Advent of the Bab.
John then witnesses a great spiritual 'war' in the heavens, symbolically represented by astrological
constellations such as Leviathan, Hercules, Leo and Scorpio. Michael, the angel representing,
Bahá'u'lláh, the Lion of Judah, wins in the conflict over the evil forces of the Dragon, [who is actually
under the control of Scorpio, the Serpent of Genesis]. Again, the significance of this triumph is
recounted- since it foretells the Kingdom of God on earth.
The House of Umayyah and their successors in the Muslim world, seeing that they have lost the
spiritual war, persecute the remaining devotees of the true Law. Scorpio, no longer a dominant force in
the heavens, is replaced by the astrological sign Flying Eagle. The "great Eagle" 'assists' the Law of God
by 'flying her' into the wilderness for her safety during the 1260 'days' until her child, the Twelfth
Imam can reenter the world as the Bab. The influence of the great Eagle is experienced on earthly
plane as Muhammad; his two wings are 'Ali and Fatima.

THE WOMAN IN THE SUN:

And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her
feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and
pained to be delivered. -Rev 12:1-2

Here we see the constellation Virgo, one of the pillars of the square earth during the Age of Pisces.
In Christendom, Virgo was manifested as the cult of Mary, the mother of Jesus. In Islamdom, Virgo
was manifested as the cult of Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad and the wife of 'Ali. In this chapter,
Virgo has yet another meaning- the Law of God. She is clothed in the sun, a symbol of Persia, and has
the moon, a symbol of Turkey, beneath her feet. The twelve stars are the Twelve Holy Imams of Islam.
According to Shi'ah belief, the Twelve Imams were the rightful spiritual leaders of Islamdom, their

progenitors being 'Ali and Fatima. The first eleven Imams are known to have been martyred, but the
Twelfth Imam mysteriously disappeared while still a child in the year 260 AH.
Various prophecies portended that the Twelfth Imam would 'return' in the year 1260 AH (= 1844
CE). In fulfillment of these prophecies, the youthful Bab appeared in that year, claiming to be the
Return of the Twelfth Imam. Thus, the "child" in verse 2 is both the Twelfth Imam and his 'reappearance' in the human temple of the Bab.

THE RED DRAGON IN HEAVEN:

And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and
ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven,
and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be
delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. -Rev 12:3-4

Another stellar constellation, the Dragon (Draco) is introduced. The Dragon is located near the
north celestial pole. In verse 3, the Dragon has the color of war, and is identifiable as the House of
Umayyah through his descriptors:
A 'head' is that on which a crown is placed, that is, a dominion. The Umayyah ruled 7 dominions: 1.
the Roman-Byzantine dominion around Damascus (Palestine and part of Syria); 2. the dominion of
Sassanid Persia (Iran, Mesopotamia, and part of Syria); 3. the dominion of Egypt; 4. the dominion of
Africa (Tunis, Morocco and Algeria); 5. the dominion of Arabia; 6. the dominion of Andalusia (Spain);
and 7. the dominion of Turkestan-Transoxania (Sogdiana).
A 'horn' is a 'handle,' that is, a name. The Umayyah had 15 commanders and chiefs, but only ten
UN-REPEATED names. These names were 1. Abu-Sufyan, 2. Mu'awiya, 3. Yazid, 4. Marwan, 5. 'Abd
al-Malik, 6. al-Walid, 7. Sulayman, 8. Umar (II), 9. Hisham, and 10. Ibrahim.
The "tail of the dragon" is the last of the Umayyad chiefs, Marwan II, who destroyed one-third of
the 'heavenly stars' (saintly lineage) of Muhammad. The Umayyah were ever watchful to prevent the
recurrence of the Law of God.

THE BIRTH OF THE MAN CHILD:

And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was
caught up unto God, and to his throne. And the woman fled unto the wilderness, where she hath a
place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.
-Rev 12:5-6

The Law of God is manifested as the Twelfth Imam, who is "caught up unto God" beyond the reach
of the caliphate. The Bab, the 'Return of the Twelfth Imam', is destined to have power over all nations,
ruling them with a "rod of iron", just as Muhammad had done. The Law of God 'flees' into the vast
desert wilderness of Hijaz and the Arabian peninsula, where she will be kept alive and safe until 1260
AH, the date of the Return.

THE WAR IN HEAVEN:

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought
with his angels, 8 and prevailed not; neither was there place found anymore in heaven. And the great
dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he
was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. -Rev 12:7-9

[REB: 7-8 ".... The dragon with his angels fought back, but was too weak, and they lost their place in
heaven."]

The 'war in heaven' involves several constellations, among them: The Water Serpent or Leviathan
(Hydra), Hercules (the Kneeler), and the Man With the Serpent (Ophiucus-Serpens). Leviathan is
adjacent to the Lion (Leo) in the heavens, while Hercules kneels with his club raised over the head of
the Dragon. Ophiucus is in mortal combat with the Serpent, which is adjacent to the Scorpion. Verse 7
equates the Dragon, the Serpent, the Devil and Satan as the same evil force in different guises,
represented by the Scorpion, the "horned snake on the path" {2}. Michael, the "Great Captain" {3},
commands the righteous forces in the epic conflict, and is represented by the Lion.
The Precession of the Equinoxes is accompanied by another phenomenon: the Precession of the
Poles. When the Great Pyramid of Giza was built at the dawn of the Age of Aries, Thuban in the
Dragon was the north star. Now, two astrological Ages later, the Dragon has lost his eminence in the
northern sky to be replaced by the Little Bear. Also, the Scorpion is to be replaced by the Flying Eagle
in the new heaven.

THE VICTORY OF MICHAEL:

And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the Kingdom of
our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them
before God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their
testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. -Rev 12:10-11

With the overthrow of the caliphate, the Anointed One, Bahá'u'lláh, will be able to establish the
Kingdom of God on earth. The false accuser of the true Muslims (who are the spiritual brothers of true
Christians), will have been divested of his title 'The Successor' to Muhammad. This will be made
possible by the Sacrifice of the Lamb Consummate, the Bab. He and His devotees, numbering in the
tens-of-thousands, will be put to death; but even under the most horrible of tortures, they will not
waver in their testimony to the Cause of God.

"WOE" TO THE EARTH:

Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and the
sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a
short time. -Rev 12:12

Again we see the influence of Pisces in the metaphor of the inhabitants of the 'sea' of humanity.

PERSECUTION OF THE HEAVENLY WOMAN:

And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought
forth the man child. 14 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into
the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the
face of the serpent. -Rev 12:13-14

[REB: 14 ".... where she was to be looked after for three and a half years, ...]

With the demise of the Scorpion, the Flying Eagle will become the pillar of the new Age to come.
Meanwhile, on the earthly plane, the Law of God is given the assistance of 'Ali and Fatima, the two
'wings' of the "great eagle" Muhammad. After the diversion of the past several verses, it is again
explained that the Law of God will find a place of refuge in the vast desert wilderness of Hijaz and
Arabia until 3 1/2 'times.' Since a 'time' is 360 lunar years, the date in the Muslim lunar calendar is
1260 AH.

(The period of 3 1/2 times is also specified in Daniel.{4})

And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be
carried away by the flood. And the earth helped the woman and the earth opened her mouth, and
swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. -Rev 12:15-16

The House of Umayyah attempts to deceive the world with a flood of false propaganda (tainted
water) concerning the Revelation of Muhammad. But the vast desert and its hardy peoples prevent the
Law of God from being destroyed.
Astrologically, Virgo was on 'dry land' during the Age of Aries. The Precession threatened to send
her to the 'waters below.' However, she safely became the pillar at the Fall equinox during the Age of
Pisces.

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to war with the remnant of her seed, which keep
the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. -Rev 12:17

Failing to destroy the Law of God, the Umayyah attempt to destroy those who believe in the true
Message of the Prophet. A true Muslim follows God's commandments as revealed in the Qur'an, and
bears witness to the Reality of Jesus Christ. In Sura 5, God says:

And when I taught thee (Jesus) the Scripture, and Wisdom, and the Law, and the Evangel: .... and thou
didst heal the blind and the leper, by my leave; and when, by my leave, thou didst bring forth the dead;
and when I withheld the children of Israel from thee, when thou hadst come to them with clear tokens:
and such of them as believed not said, "This is nought but plain sorcery;" And when I revealed unto
the Apostles, "Believe on me and my Sent One (Jesus)," they said, "We believe; and bear thou witness
that we are Muslims." -Qur'an 5:110-111 [Rodwell translation]

CHAPTER 13 - THE RISE OF THE CALIPHATE ↩

SYNOPSIS:

This chapter describes the rise of the illegitimate caliphate following the murder of 'Ali.
John sees the House of Umayyah as a 'beast,' rising from the abyss, and now crowned with a 'name
of blasphemy.' He also sees that the empire created by the Umayyah resembles past empires in the
region in various ways.
John learns that the House of Umayyah is destined to be nearly destroyed, leaving only one
dominion, Spain, under their reign. [Curiously, the Cordoban caliphate, to be re-constituted under
their House in Spain, will also have ten un-repeated names of chiefs.] The oecumene is amazed at their
great military prowess that seems to come from Satan himself. Their House will be noted for their
ungodliness, but the dynasties they spawn by their illegitimate usurpation of the caliphate will
continue to have political power for the entire duration of Muhammad's Dispensation, ending in the
year 1260 AH (1844 CE).
All the oecumene, excepting only those people who are truly righteous, will admire the House of
Umayyah.
Nevertheless, the House of Umayyah will be overthrown by yet another 'beast,' the House of 'Abbas.
The new regime will be every bit as powerful as its predecessor. It will govern the empire, except for
Spain, with such great severity that the oecumene will prefer the neo-Umayyad dynasty in Spain over
the 'Abbasids. The 'Abbasid period will exhibit great technical and scientific skills.{1} The House of
'Abbas will resemble its predecessor in many ways, as if it were the mirror image of the House of
Umayyah.

The financial strength of the House of 'Abbas will rest upon the hypocritical collection of two taxes
imposed on non-Muslims, the poll and business taxes.
The reader is invited to guess the name of blasphemy. If he succeeds in this pastime, he will
discover that the literal value of the name is 666. The solution to the riddle is 'The Caliph.'

THE FIRST BEAST WITH THE 'NAME OF BLASPHEMY':

And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and
ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. -Rev 13:1

[NIV: 1 And the dragon stood on the shore of the sea ...]

The Dragon, aka Satan the Deceiver, waits near the sea of humanity during the Age of Pisces, ready
to give his power to the House of Umayyah, the beast that will control seven dominions and will have
ten un-repeated names. The Umayyah will gain control of the caliphate and will bear a name of
blasphemy, 'The Caliph.' The name means 'The Successor to Muhammad,' and was a sacred title. This
supreme office combined both the temporal and spiritual authority in early Islamdom. To assume the
title illegitimately was and is an act of blasphemy.

THE BEAST DESCRIBED:

And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as
the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. -Rev 13:2

The terms leopard, bear and lion refer to a prophecy in Daniel.{2} In Daniel's prophecy, the leopard
represents the empire of Alexander the Great; the bear represents the empire of Media-Persia; the lion
represents the empire of Chaldea (neo-Babylonia.)
The Umayyad empire resembled Alexander's in its extent, prosperity, and the leopard-like alacrity
of its conquests. However, its true strength lay in its control of Media-Persia, the reticent bear. In its
roaring boasts, it resembled a lion {3}, and had its capital within the confines of old Chaldea.

THE WOUNDED HEAD THAT HEALED:

And I saw one of its heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the
world wondered after the beast. -Rev 13:3

The 'accursed Umayyah' were overthrown by the 'Abbasids in 749 CE. The destruction of the
Umayyah seemed total, but one of the Umayyah, 'Abd Al-Rahman, known as the 'Falcon of the
Quraysh,' managed to escape to Andalusia (Spain), where he set up a neo-Umayyad dynasty, the
Cordoban Caliphate, that lasted for another three centuries. Thus Andalusia was the wounded head
that healed.
The ten horns were also healed. The Cordoban Caliphate came to an end in 1031 after it had
spawned 18 neo-Umayyad Caliphs. Yet, again, it had only 10 un-repeated names: 1. Abd Al-Rahman, 2.
Hisham, 3. Hakam, 4. Muhammad, 5. Munzir, 6. Abdullah, 7. Hijib Al-Mansur, 8. 'Abdu'l-Malik, 9. Al-
Mahdi, and 10. Sulayman.

THE END DATE OF BEASTLY POWER:
And they worshipped the dragon which gave power to the beast: and they worshipped the beast,
saying, Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him? And there was given unto him a
mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and
two months. -Rev 13:4-5

A 'prophetic month' is 30 years. Therefore forty-two 'months' is 1260 years.
The oecumene will admire the caliphate, whose power seems to rest upon an alliance with the Devil.
The military prowess of the caliphate will be leopard-like, resembling that of Alexander the Great.
Although the office of the caliphate will be occupied by several dynasties, the fraud initiated by the
Umayyah will continue for the entire Dispensation of Muhammad, until 1260 AH.
The impression made by the caliphate upon the rest of the world was profound and sometimes
baleful. Dark Age Christendom initiated a series of countermeasures in an attempt to overtake the
technology and military power of Islamdom. In the shadowy recesses of the council chambers of that
era, it is difficult to see what actually transpired, but the elimination of the 'human spirit' as a third
part of Man has already been alluded to. Some historians see an abrupt shift away from spirituality in
the West and towards a more materialistic society. Other historians discern the seeds of material
progress in the 9th century that would flower in the 11th.

And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and
them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome
them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon
the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the
foundation of the world. -Rev 13:6-8

The Umayyah were noted for their hypocrisy, economic and social injustice, and their luxurious
lives dedicated to the pleasures of the flesh. They suppressed the descendants of Muhammad and the
Holy Imams, and dominated a vast array of peoples covering most of the oecumene. Their military
power was supreme.
The "Lamb" represents the principle of Sacrifice that has existed since the beginning of time,
necessary for the renewal of the Ages and the manifestation of a higher reality. Regardless of which
CONSTELLATION appears at the Spring equinox, it is said that Spring always appears under the SIGN
of Aries. Thus, symbolically, the Lamb has always been 'slain' to permit a new Age to commence.
In the Bahá'í Dispensation, the names in the Book of Life are written by the Center of the Covenant,
'Abdu'l-Bahá, the 'Most Great Branch' from the 'pre-existent root.' {4}

A LAW OF DIVINE RETRIBUTION:

If any man have an ear, let him hear. 10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that
killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and faith of the saints. -Rev
13:9-10

[REB: 10 .... This calls for the endurance and faithfulness of God's people.]

John learns the Law of Divine Retribution that will destroy the beast. The Umayyah continued to
decay in spirituality and power, eventually experiencing the same fate that they had meted out to
others. Except for 'Abd Al-Rahman, the Umayyah were hunted down and executed. Even the corpses
of their dead Caliphs, except for the pious Umar II, were exhumed and desecrated.

THE SECOND BEAST:

And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke
as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and
them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. -Rev 13:11-12

The second beast is the House of 'Abbas. It will come to power on the ruins (earth) of the first beast,
and will have two names (horns) of power: 'The Caliph' and 'The Sultan.' {5} It, too, will utter
preposterous lies and blasphemies. By comparison, the revived neo-Umayyad dynasty in Spain will
seem far less aggressive and more palatable to Christendom; Western civilization will gain much from
its relations with Muslim Spain.

THE IMAGE OF THE BEAST:

And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on earth in the sight of
men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do
in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on earth, that they should make an image to the
beast, which had the wound by the sword, and did live. -Rev 13:13-14

At its apex, the 'Abbasids exercised all the power of the Umayyah, and revived the dying empire that
had been mortally wounded and yet lived on in Spain. The 'Abbasid period, commemorated in the
fable 'The Arabian Nights,' is noteworthy for its advanced science and technology. Very early they
learned the use of gunpowder and Greek fire, employing spectacular devices in warfare such as
burning globes and javelins that were propelled over long distances.
The 'image' which the 'Abbasids created was their imitation of the Umayyah. Not only did they
imitate them in their outward trappings and lifestyle, their history imitated the Umayyah as well. Both
came to power by deception and fraud. Both occupied the caliphate for about a century, and both kept
in power through terror and intrigue. Both began their careers enjoying a vast empire, yet each ended
up in control of a single domain.{6}
Curiously, both the neo-Umayyad and 'Abbasid Caliphs continued the pattern of 10 un-repeated
names. From their usurpation of power in 750 until their loss of power to the Turks in 861, the
'Abbasid Caliphs bore ten names: 1. As-Saffa, 2. Al-Mansur, 3. Al-Mahdi, 4. Al-Hadi, 5. Ar-Rashid, 6.
Al-Amin, 7. Al-Ma'mun, 8. Al-Mu'tasim, 9. Al-Wathiq, and 10. Al-Mutawakkil.
Also, the first Turkish dynasty, the Seljuks, who seized the caliphate from the 'Abbasids in 861,
might be said to have produced a line of potentates with 10 un-repeated names, although the last years
of their sovereignty were confused by pretenders to the office. The mainstream Seljuk Caliphs bore the
following names: 1. Malik, 2. Toghrul, 3. Alp, 4. Barkiyaroq, 5. Mahommed, 6. Sinjar, 7. Mahmud, 8.
Masud, 9. Sulayman, and 10. Arslan.
With the fall of the Seljuks, the pattern of ten horns seems to have been broken. After the fall of the
'Abbasids and before the Turks imposed their rule on North Africa, there was a power vacuum that
permitted the independent and brilliant Fatimid Caliphate to flourish from 909 until 1171. This
caliphate, centered at Cairo, claimed a line of descent from the House of 'Ali through the Sixth Imam.
The Fatimids fared better: they begot 14 Caliphs with 14 un-repeated names. Nor did the final Turkish
dynasty, the Ottoman, exhibit the ten horn pattern. From 1230 until the destruction of the caliphate in
1924, the Ottomans begot 32 Caliphs, again with 14 un-repeated names.

And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both
speak, and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. -Rev 13:15

The second beast, the House of 'Abbas, was able to revive the image of the first beast, the House of
Umayyah, so that it seemed to be alive again. The 'Abbasids enforced their new regime with great
severity, ruthlessly murdering even those who had helped them to gain power.

THE TWO STIGMATA:
And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right
hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save that he had the mark, or the
name of the beast, or the number of his name. - Rev 13:16-17

[REB: 17 and no man was allowed to buy or sell unless he bore this beast's mark, either name or
number.]

The 'marks' or stigmata were two taxes imposed on non-Muslims. The 'kharaj' was a business and
land tax imposed on the working ('right') hand; the 'jizya' was a poll tax imposed on the 'forehead.'
Trading was forbidden by non-Muslims unless they had paid either the poll tax (assessed by the 'name'
of their Faith) or the business tax (assessed by the 'number' of their business). Originally, the modest
kharaj and jizya were intended as benign symbols of religious tolerance and as gentle encouragement
to convert to Islam. Under the Umayyad and 'Abbasid Caliphs, the kharaj and jizya were radically
transformed into sources of great personal wealth and were used as capital for imperial expansion.
Many non-Muslims fled the realm of the beast to avoid paying these taxes.

A TEST OF INTELLECTUAL SKILL:

Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number
of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six. -Rev 13:18

[REB: 18 (This calls for skill; let anyone who has intelligence work out the number of the beast, for the
number represents a man's name, and the numerical value of its letters is six hundred and sixty-six.)

The reader of the Apocalypse is challenged to work out the gematrical value of the 'name of the
beast.' From verse 1, we understand that it is a title, since it rests upon "seven heads." Also, the title
must be sacred, since its expropriation by the beast was an act of blasphemy. And, since the text of the
Apocalypse is in Koine Greek, the answer should be in Koine.
From the various clues in this and other chapters of the Apocalypse, we guess that the solution is
probably 'The Caliph.' We test this conjecture by transliterating the Arabic name into Koine to
determine whether its gematrical value is, indeed, 666.
We must define certain transcriptions for the purpose of presenting the result in English letters:

[ARABIC] [KOINE] [GEMATRICAL VALUE] [TRANSCRIPTION]

[Al (definite article)] [' + Omicron] [70] ['O] [
Kef] [Kappa (soft)] [20] [K]
[alif] [alpha] [1] [a]
[lam] [double lambda (hard)] [60] [ll]
[ye] [epsilon + iota (diphthong)] [15] [ei]
[fe] [phi] [500] [ph]

Transcribed: The Caliph = 'O Kalleiph
Gematrical value: 70 + 20 + 1 + 60 + 15 + 500 = 666

There are several other concurrences that lend credence to this solution. A few will be noted here,
while some others will be noted where appropriate.

a. The date of the usurpation of the caliphate by the House of Umayyah was 661 CE. Most biblical
scholars, in agreement with the Gospel of Matthew, place the Birth of Jesus sometime prior to the
death of Herod the Great who died in the year 4-5 BCE. Placing the 'true' historical date of His Birth at
about 5 BCE, and accounting for the missing zeroth year in BOTH the Christian and common
calendars, {7} places the origin of the illegitimate caliphate at about 666 'ANNO DOMINI.'

b. The Arabic equivalent of the Anglo-Saxon name 'God' is ''Allah.' In the Arabic gematria, ''Allah'
has the value 66. The number '6' is deemed to be the 'number of mediation' by numerologists. Thus
'666' has as one of its meanings, 'The Mediator to 'Allah.' The illegitimate caliphate blasphemously
claimed that role to be their own.

c. In itself, the number '666' suggests 'successorship,' since 600 is the decadal successor of 60, and
60 is the decadal successor of 6.

d. Attempts to transliterate the Greek number 666 into Arabic produce words meaning 'the spy' or
'the sensual.' Both appellations are descriptive of the Houses of Umayyah and 'Abbas.

Before leaving the subject, there is one more possible clue, derived from numerology, that might be
apparent in the number 666. Besides being the 'number of mediation,' 6 is also called the 'number of
beauty.' The Greek word for 'beauty' is 'kallos.' Thus, if one makes this connection, the first four letters
are common to the words 'kallos' and 'kalleiph.'

CHAPTER 14 - THE WORLD-STAGE IS SET ↩

SYNOPSIS:

Chapter 14 sets the world stage for the Advent of Bahá'u'lláh, the World Judge and Savior. But first,
those with the seal of God are introduced.
John then hears the new song, sung by the twice-72 multitudes, the firstfruits from all Ages and
nations who are to be redeemed in the Leo-Aquarian Age. To be rescued, they must accept the
redeeming grace of the Sacrificial Hero, regardless of the Age and the name by which he is called.
Another requirement is that they must not be seduced by a counterfeit of the true Word of God.
Then John sees a sequence of 3 warning angels, [probably] representing 3 of the Warners,
Manifestations who warned of the coming of the Divine Reaper and World Redeemer. The first three
may be Krishna, Buddha, and Muhammad.
The Divine Reaper is then introduced, followed by a fourth angel [Jesus Christ?], who asks
Bahá'u'lláh to reap the harvest of the Ages. The Divine Reaper is followed by a fifth angel, who ALSO
has the power to reap the harvest of the Ages. This is clearly the Bab. Finally, a sixth angel, the altar
angel [Zoroaster?] of Rev 8:3, is re-introduced who asks the Bab to cast in his sickle also.
The chapter ends with a riddle to test the reader's spiritual insight and intellectual credulity. The
solution to this riddle is 49-lunar years, the duration of Divine Revelation at the opening of the Leo-
Aquarian Age.

THE LAMB ON ZION:

And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred forty and four
thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. -Rev 14:1

The verse recalls Chapter 7 in which twice-72 multitudes of God's servants, from all Ages, races and
nations are to be found acceptable to God the Father in the new Age of Leo-Aquarius.
The word 'Zion' has several meanings. Physically, it was the site of the royal palace of David and
Solomon's Temple. Because of this association, the word has come to mean the imaginary 'center' of
Jewish national life, and even the Jewish people themselves. On the religious plane, 'Zion' stands for
the Jewish Theocracy of God, the aspiration of the ancient Jewish devotees, that once established,
would set the Model for the establishment of a World Theocracy.
The Lamb is seen standing on 'Zion,' meaning that the Lamb is manifested in the physical world

and fulfills the ancient aspirations of the Jewish people to establish a Model Theocracy.
The Apocalypse tells us several things about the Lamb. For one, it has "seven horns and seven eyes"
(5:6) and represents the "Seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." During the Age of Leo-
Aquarius, it stands in the midst of the throne and four beasts, and has been 'slain ' since the
foundation of the world (13:8). In 13:11 we have learned that a lamb has two 'horns,' and thus has two
names of power. In 5:12 we learn that the Lamb has been 'slain,' and yet we find the Lamb alive and
well in 14:1.
The astrological aspects of the Lamb have already been discussed. In the heavens, the Lamb is the
sign of Aries that has always been 'sacrificed' to make way for a new Age. Also we have discussed the
necessity of a Sacrifice on the earthly plane to correspond to the heavenly sacrifice, invariably
represented by a Sacrificial Hero, whose earthly name is discoverable in every Dispensation.
But what are the two names of power implied by 13:11? They must be 'The Successor' and the 'The
Sovereign,' the very names blasphemously usurped by the beast of the Apocalypse. 'Ali was the
Sacrificial Hero of the Dispensation of Muhammad. As The Successor, His rightful role was to have
been the Successor to Muhammad; as The Sovereign, His role was to have been the Center of the
Covenant.
In the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh, we have twice-twelve Elders seated around the throne, and thus
there are two members of every station in the zodiacal wheel. The Bab, after fulfilling the role of the
Lamb during His own Dispensation, has become one of the Pillars of the new Age- the 'Water Bearer.'
Then who are the two Sacrificial Heroes who will bear the title of 'Lamb' during the Dispensation of
Bahá'u'lláh? There are two such Heroes, one has been sacrificed, while the other remains alive and well
to "stand on Zion" in 14:1. The Lamb who was 'slain' was Mirza Mihdi, the 'Purest Branch.' The Lamb
who remains alive and well is 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the 'Most Great Branch.' As 'Ali was supposed to have
done during the Dispensation of Muhammad, 'Abdu'l-Bahá bears two titles; he is the Successor to
Bahá'u'lláh and the Center of the Covenant. -SE {1}
'Abdu'l-Bahá is shown alive on Zion with those who have the seal of his natural and spiritual Father,
Bahá'u'lláh. As prophesied by the Jewish prophets of old, the Model Theocracy, is to be established in
the Holy Land. "Out of Zion hath gone forth the Law of God, and Jerusalem, and the hills and the land
thereof, are filled with the glory of His Revelation." -BH {2}
As the Manifestation of the Father, Bahá'u'lláh is the spiritual Father of the other Manifestations of
the past. Bahá'u'lláh reveals, "In this most mighty Revelation, all the Dispensations of the past have
attained their highest, their final consummation." "He it is," referring to Himself, "Who in the Old
Testament hath been named Jehovah, Who in the Gospel hath been designated as the Spirit of Truth,
and in the Qur'an acclaimed the Great Announcement." "But for Him, no Divine Messenger would
have been invested with the robe of prophethood, nor would any of the sacred scriptures have been
revealed." "Be fair, ye peoples of the world, is it meet or seemly for you to question the authority of one
Whose presence 'He Who conversed with God' (Moses) hath longed to attain, the beauty of Whose
countenance 'God's Well-beloved' (Muhammad) had yearned to behold, through Whose potency the
'Spirit of God' (Jesus) ascended to heaven, for Whose sake the 'Primal Point' (the Bab) offered up His
life?" -BH {3}
"Concerning the Manifestations that will come down in the future 'in the shadows of the clouds,'
know verily that in so far as their relation to the source of their inspiration is concerned, they are
under the shadow of the Ancient Beauty (Bahá'u'lláh). In their relation, however, to the age in which
they appear, each and every one of them 'doeth whatsoever He willeth." -AB {4}

THE NEW SONG IS SUNG AGAIN:

And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and
I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 3 And they sang as it were a new song before the
throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could hear that song but the hundred
and forty four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. -Rev 14:2-3

[REB: 2 I heard a sound from heaven like a mighty torrent or a great peal of thunder: what I heard was
like harpists playing on their harps. 3 They were singing a new song before the throne and the four
living creatures and the elders, and no man could learn it except the hundred and forty-four thousand
ransomed from the earth.]

The voices of the twice-72 multitudes from all Ages and cultures who have been found acceptable to
God sing out the Leo-Aquarian message, but only the redeemed can understand or learn it. {5}
The City of Bahá', like 'Zion,' is a MODEL Theocracy. In the Apocalypse, it is called the New
Jerusalem. Only the twice-72 multitudes who are 'redeemed from the earth' will be its firstfruits. It is
NOT, therefore, a 'world government' and has no secular aspirations.

These are they which are not defiled with women: for they are virgins. These are they which follow the
Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God
and the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of
God. -Rev 14:4-5

Those 'clerics' who sell a counterfeit of the true Word of God in order to acquire material wealth are
likened to harlots. To become defiled by harlots means to become willingly seduced by the fraud.
The Sacrificial Hero has had many names and appears in a different physical body with a new name
in each Dispensation. In one Dispensation, the Lamb is Jesus Christ; in another He is the Bab, or
'Abdu'l-Bahá. The undefiled will follow the Lamb in every Age and Dispensation. The firstfruits are the
first to hear the new Song and to follow the new Law. Their mouths will not spread false doctrine.

THE FIRST SUPPORTING ANGEL:

And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them
that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud
voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that
made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. -Rev 14:6-7

Once again we are reminded [by Krishna? {6}] that the Good News is a wellspring of guidance
available in every Age; it is eternal and not limited to any special people or culture. The Judgement is a
two-edged sword: it is a punishment for the defiled and a salvation for the innocent.

THE SECOND SUPPORTING ANGEL:

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, that great city, because she made all
nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. -Rev 14:8

The next angel [Buddha?] informs us of the downfall of 'Babylon.' The word 'Babylon' (Heb 'Bab-el')
means literally 'Gate of God.' 'Jerusalem' means literally 'Sacred Peace.' Both names are sacred and
symbolize the City of the Word of God. The Word of God, though originally the Holy City, through
corruption, becomes the Wicked City. '

How the faithful city has played the whore!" REB: Isaiah 1:8

Jerusalem is transformed into Babylon and vice versa as the Holy City decays and is renewed in
successive Dispensations.
The use of Babylon as a symbol of the corrupted Word is based upon the story of the Tower of
Babel.{7} It was at this place that the babble of tongues was supposed to have originated. It requires

the addition of only a single letter to convert Bab-el = Gate of God, into Bal-bel = Confusion.
Bahá'u'lláh reveals that the corruption of the Word of God does not result from the conscious
falsification or forgery of the Sacred Texts, but from misinterpretation through idle imaginings and
vain desires. {8}
Old Testament prophecies foretell that in the last days the Word will be renewed at Babylon.{19}
But Jeremiah prophesied that the site of old Babylon will be a ruin. Bahá'u'lláh revealed His mission
and renewed the Word at the new Babylon, modern Baghdad, in 1863. The word 'Baghdad' means
literally 'Gift of God.'

THE THIRD SUPPORTING ANGEL:

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, if any man worship the beast and his
image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the
wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation: and he shall be
tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.
-Rev 14:9-10

The third angel [Muhammad?] warns those who willingly accept the validity of the Umayyad and
'Abbasid dynasties, and those who willingly pay the taxes that are the hidden agenda of the caliphate.
They shall receive spiritual torments that cannot be extinguished; their sufferings will be witnessed by
the immaculate souls in heaven in the presence of 'Ali, the Sacrificial Hero.

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day or night,
who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 12 Here is the
patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. -Rev
14:11-12

[REB: 12 This calls for the endurance of God's people, all those who keep his commandments and
remain loyal to Jesus.]
When the illegitimate caliphate conquered the oecumene, non-Muslim devotees such as Christians,
Jews, Zoroastrians and Sabaeans, were given three choices: pay the business and head taxes, leave the
domain of the Muslim empire, or declare their allegiance to Islam. Failure to choose one of these three
distasteful alternatives placed the devotee at great risk to person or property.
Those who chose the last alternative, who pretended to be Muslims, were called the Mawali
(Clients). The Mawali, who "received the mark of his name," are also condemned, since their
acceptance of Islam was not based upon a sincere belief in the teachings of the Prophet but was simply
a matter of expediency. In their failure to flee the Empire, Christian Mawali became disloyal to Jesus
and willing allies of the Caliph. Young male Mawali often became warriors in the Muslim army.
'Fire and brimstone' describes the unquenchable and agonizing spiritual torment of remoteness
from God. "Separation from Thee, O Source of everlasting life, hath well nigh consumed me, and my
remoteness from Thy presence hath burned my soul." "Some have made haste to attain the court of the
God of Mercy, others have fallen down on their faces in the fire of Hell, while others are lost in
bewilderment." "They hasten forward to Hell fire, and mistake it for light." "Smoke" is an obvious
sign of spiritual torment. "The moon of idle fancy hath been cleft, and the heaven hath given out a
palpable smoke." "What smoke more dense and overpowering than the one which hath now
enshrouded all the peoples of the world, which hath become a torment unto them, and from which
they hopelessly fail to deliver themselves, however much they strive?" -BH {9}

And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord
from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow
them. -Rev 14:13

To 'die in the Lord' means to die from self in order to live in God. "He who hath attained this station
is sanctified from all that pertains to the world ... This is the plane whereon the vestiges of all things
are destroyed in the traveler, and on the horizon of eternity the Divine Face riseth out of the darkness,
and the meaning of 'All on the earth shall pass away, but the face of thy Lord ...' is made manifest."
-BH {10}
The 'Spirit' is that Source of Divine power that transforms mere humans into sons of God, and lifts
the worldly wayfarer from the abode of dust to the heavenly homeland. The 'dead in the Lord' of the
last days will be instrumental in bringing forth the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh.

ONE LIKE THE SON OF MAN:

And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having
on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. -Rev 14:14

[NIV: 14 .... , and seated on the cloud was one "like a son of man."]

Bahá'u'lláh, the King of Glory and the Divine Reaper, is described as one like a Son of Man,
descending to earth on a heavenly throne.
This echoes verse 1:12 {11} in which one "like a son of man" comes with the "clouds of heaven." We
have already discussed the symbolism of clouds as representing glory, trouble, bounty and veiled
obscurement. The meaning of the 'Son of Man' may require further explanation.
The title was based upon the concept of a Divine prototype or primordial Man. According to this
belief, the true home of Man is in heaven. At each Advent, God sends a Messenger, a Son of Man, to
redeem mortal man from his prison of worldliness and to renew human history.{12}
The Son of Man also calls himself the Shepherd, the Truth, the Light, and other titles familiar to
readers of the New Testament. The concept of Man was important in Hebrew and Gnostic theology
and was even incorporated in the FOURTH ECLOGUE of Virgil. In many ways, the concept resembles
that of the Avatar of Hindu theology, and implies a cyclicity of history that can also be inferred from
astrological theology.
In the first century BCE, the return of the Son of Man was widely anticipated. With his Advent,
Jesus claimed the title as his own, and prophesied another return of the "Son of Man in the glory of his
Father." {14} But the modifying phrase 'one like unto' in verse 14:14 suggests that the title 'Son of Man'
will no longer be understandable in its original context at the end of the Piscean Age. Indeed, today the
title is not generally understood, and most Christians would claim that the title belongs exclusively to
Jesus Christ.
It might be argued that the title does not rigorously apply to Bahá'u'lláh, since He is not the
Manifestation of the Son, but of the Father. {15}

THE FOURTH SUPPORTING ANGEL:

And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud. Thrust
in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap: for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he
that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. -Rev 14:15-16

The next angel requests Bahá'u'lláh to 'thrust in his sickle and reap.' Mankind is likened to a
vineyard as in the parable of Jesus Christ. The parable of the vineyard is found in all three synoptic
Gospels.

In the Matthew (REB) version {13}, Jesus tells of a landowner of a vineyard who lets it out to tenant
vine-growers and goes abroad. When the harvest season approaches, the landowner sends his servants

to the tenants to collect the produce that is due to him. Each of his servants are abused, some killed.
Finally he sends his son, who is also killed. When the Lord of the Vineyard returns from abroad, he will
'bring those bad men to a bad end' and 'hand the vineyard over to other tenants'.

The Lord of the Vineyard, the owner of the vineyard of Man, lets out His vineyard to the priesthood
[tenant vine-growers]. He disappears from the scene [goes abroad]. When the end of the Dispensation
arrives [the harvest season approaches], the Lord sends his Messengers [servants] to the priesthood to
collect the souls of his devotees [produce] that is due to Him. Each of his Messengers are abused, some
killed. Finally he sends His son [Jesus Christ], who is also killed. When the Lord of the Vineyard
[Bahá'u'lláh] returns from abroad, he will 'bring those bad men to a bad end' and abolish the former
priesthood' [hand the vineyard over to other tenants].
The World Center of the Faith of Bahá'u'lláh is located on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land. The
word 'Carmel' means the 'Vineyard of God,' and may be mystically correlated with the parable of Jesus.
Other prophecies in the Bible suggest that Carmel will be connected with Bahá'u'lláh. For example, in
Isaiah, {16} the 'Rod out of the stem of Jesse,' and the 'Scion from the root of Jesse' refer to
Bahá'u'lláh; the 'Branch' refers to 'Abdu'l-Bahá; the 'holy mountain' refers to Carmel.
In verse 14:14 above, an angel prompts the Divine Reaper to reap the harvest of the Ages. Based
upon the parable of the vineyard, that angel is probably Jesus Christ. {17}

THE FIFTH AND SIXTH SUPPORTING ANGELS:

And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And
another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle,
and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. -Rev 14:17-18

The angel with the sickle also has the power to reap the harvest of the Ages; He clearly represents
the Bab. The altar angel with the power over fire, is probably Zoroaster.{17} The Zoroastrian Faith is
noted for its fire altars, and is centered in that part of Persia where the Bab was manifested. Also, in
verse 2:28, Zoroaster is connected with the "morning star," the Herald of a 'new Day.'

A TEST OF CREDULITY:

And the angel thrust his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the
great winepress of the wrath of God. 20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood
came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred
furlongs. -Rev 14:19-20

[NIV: 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press,
rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.]

Once again, the credulity of the literalist is put to the test! The literal conversion of 1,600 stadia is a
distance of about 180 statute miles. The metrical height of a horse's bridle is about 60 inches. No other
dimensions are given, but optimistically assuming a width of the sea of blood to be only one mile, the
volume of this sea would require the deaths of about 60 times the total number of men, women and
children existing on the surface of today's earth.
Verse 20 must be recognized for what it is- a riddle. In order to solve it, we first recognize that
1,600 is 40-times-40. The number 40 appears many times in the Bible to signify extreme tests of long
duration. The squaring of a number is its 'perfection.' A stadium was an ancient measure of the earth's
surface. So, one implication of the riddle is that earthbound humanity 'outside the city' of the renewed
Word of God (the New Jerusalem) will experience extreme spiritual tests over a long period of time.
Now consider the height of a horse's bridle. Astrological constellations are frequently involved in

the Apocalypse. In this instance, the constellation of Pegasus, the Flying Horse, is suggested by the
verse. Pegasus has 7 'spans' of stars between its hoof and its jaw. With this hint, we recall that the
canonical height of a horse's bridle is 7-spans, where a span is the distance across the stretched hand
of an adult, about 9 English inches. Remembering that 7 is the number of trial and punishment, again
we see that extreme tests of the spirit await those excluded from the New Jerusalem.
But why is the riddle expressed as a 'space of 1,600-times-7' ? Look again. The archetypal value of
1,600 is also 7. {18} Thus the occult dimension of the riddle is a 'space of 7-times-7.' 7-times-7 equals
49. This is the period of Divine Revelation, from the Declaration of the Bab in 1260 AH and ending
with the Ascension of Bahá'u'lláh in 1309 AH, a space of 7-times-7, or 49 lunar years.
There are other correlations suggested by the riddle. 40 lunar years was the span of time of the
Ministry of Bahá'u'lláh. The span of time from the Declaration of the Bab until the Ascension of
'Abdu'l-Bahá was 70-and-7 solar years, styled by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian, as the Heroic Age of
the Bahá'í Faith.

CHAPTER 15 - HIS NAME REVEALED ↩

SYNOPSIS:

The world stage has been set in Chapter 14. In this Chapter, the name of the Leading Actor is
announced.
7 more angels are introduced; these are the plague angels who will support the Divine Reaper in the
great drama of the End of the Age.
Those of the Piscean Age who managed to overcome the wicked cunning of the Houses of Umayyah
and 'Abbas are extolled. John sees them standing in triumph as the choir on the Celestial Pavilion and
singing the eternal song, the Message from God, the same song that was sung by Moses and Jesus
during their own Dispensations.
The sanctuary of the Tent of Testimony, alas, still existing in the heavenly realm, is opened. The
Glory of God, Bahá'u'lláh, is also seen to exist in the sanctuary. Smoke from his power, just as it did in
ancient days, fills the Temple, and no one is able to enter the Temple until the 7 plague angels empty
their vials onto the earth.

THE SEVEN LAST PLAGUE ANGELS ARE INTRODUCED:

And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having seven last plagues; for in
them is filled up the wrath of God. 2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire; and them
that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number
of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of gold. -Rev 15:1-2

[REB: 2 ... those who had been victorious against the beast, its image, and the number of its name.]

Once again John is permitted to observe the sea of glass that represents the outermost surface of
the firmament, the Celestial Pavilion. This time it is mingled with fire to symbolize the wrath of God
and the Last Judgement. The angels have the number 7, symbolic of trials and punishments. Verse 2
extols those inhabitants of the heavenly realm who have overcome the false doctrine of the Houses of
Umayyah and 'Abbas (the beast and its image), and the blasphemous deception of wrongly-guided
Caliphs (the number of its name).

THEY SING THE ETERNAL MESSAGE:

And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and

marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. 4 Who
shalt not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and
worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest. -Rev 15:3-4

[REB: 3 ...; just and true are your ways, O King of the ages.]

The song of Moses and the Lamb is the eternal Message, the Word of God, renewed and readorned
in every Dispensation. "In the days of Moses it was the Pentateuch; in the days of Jesus, the Gospel; in
the days of Muhammad, the Messenger of God, the Qur'an; in this day, the Bayan (Book of the Bab);
and in the Dispensation of Him Whom God will make manifest (Bahá'u'lláh), His own Book- the Book
unto which all the Books of former Dispensations must needs be referred, the Book that standeth
amongst them all transcendent and supreme." -BH {1}
Verse 4 reflects the prophesies in Isaiah {2} regarding the glorious abode of the Rod out of the stem
of Jesse, Bahá'u'lláh.

THE HEAVENLY TENT IS OPENED:

And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was
opened: and the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and
white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto
the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. -Rev 15:5-7

REB: 5 ... the sanctuary of the heavenly Tent of Testimony was opened, ...]

John sees that the Tent of Testimony, authorized by Moses, still persists in the heavenly realm,
although its existence on the earthly plane had long since faded. The sanctuary was that portion of the
tent where people were allowed to assemble and worship. The Holy of Holies, in the shape of a perfect
cube {3}, contained the Ark of the Covenant and was reserved as the special abode of Jehovah.
In a deeper sense, the 'Tabernacle' is the Revelation of God descended upon man in the Temple of
the Manifestation. "These Tabernacles of Holiness, these Primal Mirrors which reflect the light of
unfading glory, are but the expressions of Him Who is the Invisible of the Invisibles." "Aid me, O my
Lord, to surrender myself wholly to Thy Will, and to arise and serve Thee, for I cherish this earthly life
for no other purpose than to compass the Tabernacle of Thy Revelation and the Seat of Thy Glory."
-BH {4}
The seven plague angels are protected by golden girdles, a symbol of a new Faith. Their white linens
symbolize cleanliness and holiness.

SMOKE FROM THE GLORY OF GOD:

And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able
to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. -Rev 15:8

[REB: 8 The sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, ...]

Verse 8 alludes to an ancient supernatural event that occurred during the reign of Solomon: {6}

...; and the house was filled with the cloud of the glory of the Lord. The priests could not continue to
minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. -REB: 2 Chron 5:13-14

"The symbolic term 'smoke' denotes grave dissensions, the abrogation and demolition of recognized
standards, and the utter destruction of their narrow-minded exponents." -BH {5} It is this 'smoke'

issuing from the spiritual power of Bahá'u'lláh, the Glory of God, that must be dissipated from the
'sanctuary' before the peoples of the world will be allowed to enter and worship Jehovah by His new
name, Bahá'. The seven last plagues must be released before the smoke can be dissipated.
In Greek, 'Glory of God' has a literal value of 1389, which has an archetypal value of 3. In Arabic,
'Bahá'u'lláh' has a literal value of 75, which also has an archetypal value of 3. The Greek word for
'Glory' has a literal value of 135 with an archetypal value of 9, identical to the literal value of Bahá'.

CHAPTER 16 - THE END OF THE AGE ↩

SYNOPSIS:

After revealing the name of the Divine Reaper in the previous chapter, the Apocalypse now
summarizes the dramatic events surrounding the Advents of the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh. The time setting
of the drama is the mid-19th century; the place settings are in the regions of Persia, Turkey and Iraq. It
is to be revealed in 7 Acts, each supported by one of the plague angels.
The first plague is the religious controversy that befalls those fanatics in the Muslim world who
have been deceived by the 'image of the beast,' the spiritual descendants of the House of 'Abbas.
The second plague befalls all of mankind, the spiritual annihilation of the souls of 'every living
creature' that must precede the creation of a new spiritual world.
The third plague befalls the corrupt clerics of every religious Faith. Their teachings are transmuted
from life-giving 'water' into death-dealing 'blood.'
The fourth plague is the spiritual torment that befalls the corrupt clerics of 19th century Persia,
causing many to blaspheme the name of 'Allah.
The fifth plague is the spiritual torment and darkness that befalls the corrupt clerics of the 19th
century sacerdotal order centered at Istanbul.
The sixth plague is the loss of spirituality that befalls the Babi community exiled to Baghdad and its
environs. This plague is accompanied by diabolical deceptions characteristic of the Umayyah;
confusion is created among the Babi's by the claims of the false prophet Mirza Yahya.
The Advent of Bahá'u'lláh is announced. He enters and departs the world stage 'unseen' like a thief
in the night.
The seventh and final plague is the 'piling up of sorrow' that befalls the entire human race, caused
by false teachings and lies, the effects of which are being experienced today. Every human being
experiences the 'test of the talent' foretold by Jesus Christ during his physical sojourn on earth.

[A detailed history of these events can be found in Shoghi Effendi's masterpiece, GOD PASSES BY.
This dark period of history can hardly be visualized by the modern reader. Travelers {1} described the
region as technologically backward, and often with despotic governments and corrupted priesthoods.
Thanks to progressive 20th century leadership, the conditions that abounded there 150-years ago no
longer prevail.]

THE PLAGUE ANGELS ARE GIVEN MARCHING ORDERS:

And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the
vials of the wrath of God upon the earth. -Rev 16:1

The voice out of the heavenly Tabernacle is that of the Divine Reaper, Bahá'u'lláh.

THE FIRST PLAGUE:

And the first went, and poured his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon

the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon those which worshipped his image. -Rev 16:2

Those with the mark of the beast refers to the Sunni sacerdotal order, under the control of the
caliphate seated at Istanbul. Those who worshipped the image of the beast refers to the independent
Shi'ah sacerdotal order centered in Persia. Recall that the first beast was the House of Umayyah, while
the image of the beast was the House of 'Abbas. The two mainstream 19th century sacerdotal orders
were the spiritual descendants and historical analogues of the beast and the image of the beast.
The noisome and grievous sore caused by the first plague angel was the clamor of religious
controversy and the sore of spiritual distress that beset the Muslim world following the Declaration of
the Bab. Some estimates claim that more than 20- thousand devotees of the Bab were martyred, a
great many under the severest of tortures.

THE SECOND PLAGUE:

And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and
every living soul died in the sea. -Rev 16:3

The second plague angel empties his vial upon the realm of the spirit, and every living creature in
that realm is caused to expire.
It is one of the great mysteries of history that each Manifestation of God is the torchbearer of a new
civilization.{2} For example, Jesus brought a Christian civilization into existence. In order for this to
come about, the 'old world' of classical civilization had to be destroyed, sacrificed, to make way for a
'new world.' The inhabitants of the old world were totally unaware of the cataclysmic event, but the
event would become apparent to future historians.
In verse 3 we are informed of a much more profound cataclysm- the 'death' of EVERY living soul in
the spiritual realm. This astonishing event will attend the Manifestation of the Divine Reaper, and is
apparently unique to history. "Consider the hour at which the supreme Manifestation of God
(Bahá'u'lláh) revealeth Himself unto men .... at the very moment preceding His Revelation, each and
every created thing shall be made to yield up its soul to God. This is indeed the Day of which it hath
been written: 'Whose shall be the Kingdom this Day?' And none can be found to answer."
But following His Advent, a new world was created: "Verily, We have caused every soul to expire by
virtue of Our irresistible sovereignty. We have, then, called into being a new creation, as a token of Our
grace unto men. I am, verily, the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days." However, not every soul will
necessarily be endowed with 'life' in the new world. In a prayer He says, "Praise be unto Thee, O my
God! Thou art He Who by a word of his mouth hath revolutionized the entire creation, and by a stroke
of His pen hath divided Thy servants one from another. I bear witness, O my God, that through a word
spoken by Thee in this Revelation all created things were made to expire, and through yet another
word all such as Thou didst wish were, by Thy grace and bounty, endued with new life." -BH {3}

THE THIRD PLAGUE:

And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became
blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and
shall be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou
hast given them blood to drink; for they art worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so,
Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments. -Rev 16:4-7

The third plague angel empties his vial upon the mainstreams of spiritual guidance- the corrupted
clergy and priesthood. They are the secret oppressors of the saints and prophets, and their teachings
are transmuted from the water of life into the blood of death.

THE FOURTH PLAGUE:

And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men
with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath
power over these plagues; and they repented not to give him glory. -Rev 16:8-9

The fourth angel empties his vial upon the land of Persia, whose emblem is the sun. The bigoted
and defiled among the Persian clergy are made to feel the fire of spiritual torment. Even so, they fail to
repent of their malicious deeds and to submit to the Will of 'Allah.
The Babi Revelation was born on May 23, 1844 in Shiraz, Persia. The claims of the Bab, the turmoil
caused in Islamdom, and the rapidity with which the new Faith gained followers, caused the corrupted
clergy to react violently. The help of the Shah was enlisted in an attempt to destroy the Faith of the
Bab. The results were armed attacks upon His followers and popular uprisings in Nayriz, Mazindaran
and Zanjan. Mass persecutions, torture and martyring were involved. Ultimately, the Bab was
martyred in the public square of Tabriz on July 9, 1850.

THE FIFTH PLAGUE:

And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of
darkness; and they gnawed their tongues in pain. And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their
pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds. -Rev 16:10-11

[REB: 10 The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast; ...]

The fifth plague angel empties his vial onto Istanbul where both the caliphate and sultanate are
seated. The regime of the Ottomans now experiences the same spiritual pain and darkness that had
beset the regime of the Shah.
As a consequence of the martyrdom of the Bab and the severe persecutions inflicted on the Babis, in
August of 1852, two obscure and demented Babis made a futile attempt on the life of the Shah. The
results were renewed persecutions and the imprisonment of leading Babis, including Bahá'u'lláh. It
was during His imprisonment in the Black Pit of Teheran, 1852-3, that the 'Maiden of Heaven'
appeared to Bahá'u'lláh and He became the Promised One of All Ages.
On His release from the Black Pit, He was exiled to Baghdad, Iraq. Iraq was then a Turkish
province. Shortly thereafter, the Sultan of Turkey and his ministers, as well as the Sunni sacerdotal
order, joined hands with the Shah and the Shiah clericals of Persia and Iraq in an endeavor to stamp
out, once and for all, the Faith and all it stood for. The result was a further wave of repressive
measures.

THE SIXTH PLAGUE:

And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried
up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared. -Rev 16:12

The sixth plague angel empties his vial onto the region of the Euphrates river. The water of
spirituality is dried up, clearing the way for the Kings of the East, Bahá'u'lláh and His Successors. {4}
Following His exile in Baghdad on the banks of the Euphrates, the Babi community in exile lost its
spirituality. Because of internal conflicts and bickering, Bahá'u'lláh left the Babi exiles and spent
exactly two lunar years (1854-5) wandering in the mountain wilderness of Kurdistan. The way was
being prepared for the return of Bahá'u'lláh and His public Declaration.

And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of
the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working
miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the
battle of that great day of God Almighty. -Rev 16:13-14

The 'frogs' allude to the curse of Moses on the land of pharaoh, recounted in Exodus. {5} Although
Moses and Aaron had this power over Pharaoh, so did the magicians of Egypt.{6} These unclean 'frogs'
represent false teachings and deceptions. Miracles are wonders; here they are not of divine origin.
The dragon and the beast refer to those clerics of Islamdom who will be under the influence of
satanic forces. The false prophet is introduced as yet another competitor for the minds and souls of
men.
Although several would-be 'Prophets' arose to proclaim themselves to be the One foretold by the
Bab, "the One Whom God will make manifest," the most notorious was the nominal head of the Babi
Faith, the false prophet Mirza Yahya. Through the influence and intrigues of his henchman, the crafty
and diabolical Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani, Mirza Yahya succeeded in causing a serious breach in the
ranks of the Babis-in-exile and prevented many of the very elect from recognizing the new
Manifestation, Bahá'u'lláh. Reminiscent of the Surih of Joseph as interpreted by the Bab, Mirza Yahya
was a half-brother of Bahá'u'lláh, and, as prophesied by the Bab, the plots of Mirza Yahya and
Muhammad-i-Isfahani ended in ignominious failure.
The Great Day of God Almighty is the Day of God, the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh.

HE COMES 'AS A THIEF':

(Ph) Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk
naked, and they see his shame. -Rev 16:15

[REB: 15 ('See, I am coming as a thief! ... ')]

The verse is parenthetical and calls for special understanding. It refers to the prophecy by Jesus
that the Son of Man may return as a 'thief.' {7} A 'thief' is one who enters and departs 'unseen.' It
warns us that the Advent of the Divine Reaper will not be apparent to the world at large, although,
ultimately, the historical facts will become known.
The Babi community left behind in Baghdad continued to decline in spirituality and prestige.
Finally, after two years of pleading by the Babis, Bahá'u'lláh was induced to return. Following His
return from the mountain wilderness of Kurdistan, Bahá'u'lláh, through His teachings and spiritual
power, was able to renew the Faith of God. Hatred, fear, and jealousy of the renewed vigor of the Babi
community by the corrupt Muslim clergy resulted in further persecutions and banishments of
Bahá'u'lláh, first to Istanbul, thence to Adrianople, and finally to the prison city of 'Akka, near Mount
Carmel in the Holy Land, thereby fulfilling many prophecies. {8}
However, before Bahá'u'lláh began His arduous journey to Istanbul, He revealed himself as the 'One
Whom God will make manifest' foretold by the Bab. His public Declaration took place at the Festival of
Paradise, April 21 to May 2, 1863.
It is interesting that He departed from the 'land of the Euphrates' immediately thereafter, going
into further exile and virtual invisibility. Even His incredibly direct and powerful Tablets to the rulers
of the world revealing His mission went unnoticed. Truly, Bahá'u'lláh, the Glory of God, like a thief,
entered and departed unseen.

MUSTERING FOR ARMAGEDDON:

And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. -Rev 16:16

[REB: 16 These spirits assembled the kings at a place called in the Hebrew Armageddon.]

The foul frog-like spirits that dominate the corrupt rulers of the world will bring them and their
followers to a great 'mountain of sorrow' like that which befell the Hebrews in the valley of Megiddo.
'Armageddon' is the compound of two Hebrew words 'Har' ('Mountain') and 'Megiddon' (poetic
adaptation of 'Megiddo'). The valley of Megiddo was the scene of great suffering by the Hebrews
during the reign of Josiah. Hence the 'Mountain of Megiddo' means a great piling up of sorrow.
The verse alludes to and amplifies the wording of Zechariah:

"On that day the mourning of Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning over Hadad-Rimmon in the
vale of Megiddo." -REB: Zechariah 12:11

The conflict of Armageddon characterizes the world-wide sorrow and distress that will result from
false teachings and evil principles. The conflict follows the 'Hour' of Bahá'u'lláh and the third woe.
Since His Declaration in 1863, the world has indeed witnessed a great piling up of sorrow. These
sorrows follow from the destruction of the old world that must precede the rebuilding of a new world
based on the principles and Divine Laws enunciated by Bahá'u'lláh. Among the more notable sorrows
have been imperialism and economic exploitation; the Great Depression; two world wars of
unprecedented ferocity and suffering; numerous smaller but deadly wars; the rise of communism,
naziism and other extremist movements; nuclear weapons; international crime syndicates and drug
trafficking; international terrorism; the suffering resulting from class struggle, racial struggle, and
genocide on a massive scale; the collapse of marriage attended by unbridled sexuality, the sufferings of
children, and widespread abortion; the world-wide pollution of the air, the soil, and the oceans. These
sorrows are by no means finished, and the testimony of the righteous is not yet complete.

THE SEVENTH PLAGUE:

And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of
heaven, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great
earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
-Rev 16:17-18

The seventh plague angel empties his vial into the air, meaning that the afflictions to follow will not
be localized but will be world-wide. John hears the voices of those who fall into trials and temptations,
the thunder of the violation of the Covenant, and the lightning of the anger and wrath of God. There is
a great earthquake of doubts and disturbances in the world of man.

THE FALL OF BABYLON:

And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon
came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And there fell upon men a great hail
out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the
plague of the hail; for the plague was exceeding great. -Rev 16:19-21

The great city is Babylon, the civilization of the corrupted Word of God. Profane civilization will
degenerate into three parts personified as the 'three false gods,' Nationalism, Racialism and
Communism.{9} Cities are institutions; islands are places of refuge in a sea of chaos, that is, churches;
mountains are the great religions of the world. "So blind hath become the human heart that neither the
disruption of the city, nor the reduction of the mountain in dust, nor even the cleaving of the earth, can
shake off its torpor." -BH {10}

The hail is a rain of great spiritual tests. The word 'talent' comes from the Greek 'talanton'- a
balance, or a thing to be weighed; hence it is a symbol of testing. Man will be tested by the Book of God
revealed by the Balance, the new Manifestation of God: "In this most perfect balance (the Book of God)
whatsoever the peoples and kindreds of the earth possess must be weighed." "The All-Merciful is come
invested with undoubted sovereignty. The Balance hath been appointed, and all them that dwell on
earth have been gathered together." "Say: This is the infallible Balance which the Hand of God is
holding, in which all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth are weighed, and their fate
determined, if ye be of them that believe and recognize this truth." -BH {11}

The 'talent' in verse 21 alludes to the Parable of the Talents in Matthew. In Matt 16:21, the disciples
of Jesus ask Him to reveal the signs of His Second Coming and the time of the end of the Age. In
24:36, Jesus explains that He does not know WHEN the Hour will occur, since only the Father knows
that information. Later, in 25:1, Jesus says (REB)

'When the day comes, the kingdom of Heaven will be like this....'

Then, in verses 25:14-30, He reveals the extremely subtle Parable of the Talents.
In essence, the Parable warns the future devotee at the end of the Piscean Age to risk all in order to
gain salvation. The man going abroad (verse 14) is the recurring Son of Man, the Manifestation of God.
He disappears from the world stage for an unknown period of time. But before He leaves, He entrusts
His capital (spiritual legacy) to His servants (devotees). The distribution is unequal: to one servant He
entrusts 5 talents; to another 2 talents; to the third He entrusts only one talent. The servant with the
greatest portion of the capital, the one with 5 talents, risks (invests) the 5 and earns 5 more. The one
with 2 talents risks the 2 and earns 2 more. The servant with only one talent plays it safe and buries his
portion in the ground.
When the Master returns, the two servants who risked their portions are rewarded (verses 21, 23):
"Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler
over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." The one who had been entrusted with only one
talent and had buried his portion, explains (verses 24, 25): "Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard
man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid,
and went and hid the talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine."

Alas, the Lord calls this man a "wicked and slothful servant," confirms that he reaps where he has
not sown and gathers where he has not strawed (verse 26), and explains that this should have been a
warning to take a risk. He then takes the talent from the slothful servant and gives it to the one who
had already gained 5.

When the Son of Man returns in the "Glory of his Father" {12}, he will reap where he has not sown
and gather where he has not strawed. This is the reason for the fear expressed by the third servant, and
the reason for the fear of those who reject the Manifestation of the Leo-Aquarian Age. But we should
remember the admission of the Master [Jesus] that, he too, reaped where he had not sown and
gathered where he had not strawed. Those deprived devotees who bury their small portion of the
Master's legacy in the ground of fear and narrow mindedness, will have even that portion taken from
them and given to others.

CHAPTER 17 - MYSTERIES REVEALED ↩

SYNOPSIS:

What follows is a test of the reader's spiritual and intellectual acuity. If his solutions to past riddles
in the Apocalypse are correct, he will be able to solve the riddles in Chapter 17.
The great whore, Babylon, is the civilization created by the corrupted Word of God. She is the
mistress of the spiritual and political potentates of the world, and the secret cause of the world's
abominations.
The beast that "was" is the Persian Empire initiated by Cyrus the Great.
The beast that "is not" is the Greek empire initiated by Alexander the Great.
The beast that "is" is the Muslim empire initiated by the House of Umayyah.
The great whore sits on the throne of the 7 dominions conquered by the House of Umayyah. But she
also rules over the peoples of the 7 Churches of Asia.
Five of the 7 dominions will have fallen after the Revelation and before they are conquered by the
Umayyah; one will remain sovereign; one will be a new dominion carved out of West Turkestan, but
will exist only until it is destroyed by Genghis Khan.
The Persian-Greek empire will have had 7 un-repeated names of rulers by the time of the caliphate.
The Caliph will be the 8th ruler of that empire, yet will represent one of the 7 Churches of Asia.
The House of Umayyah will have 10 un-repeated names of chiefs, beginning with its secret king
Abu-Sufyan, and ending with Ibrahim. Similarly, the House of 'Abbas that will take over the empire,
will also have 10 un-repeated names of chiefs. The neo-Umayyad caliphate set up in Spain will
continue the pattern of 10 un-repeated names.
At the end of the Piscean Age, the illegitimate caliphate will oppose the Bab, but their efforts will
fail, because the Bab is a Lord of lords, and King of kings. The Bab will declare an end to the
Dispensation of Muhammad; the illegitimate caliphate will be extinguished.

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me,
Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth on many waters: With
whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been
made drunk with the wine of her fornication. -Rev 17:1-2

[REB: 1 ... 'I will show you the verdict on the great whore, she who is enthroned over many waters.]

The great whore is Babylon, the wicked city of the corrupted Word of God. She sits enthroned over
many nations, populations, races and languages. The world's rulers have made use of her servicesintoxicating lies and distortions, to reinforce their power over the masses.

THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST:

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured
beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. -Rev 17:3

Scarlet is the color of spiritual beauty in Islamdom. The 7 heads and 10 horns identify her steed at
the end of the Piscean Age as the beast of the Apocalypse. The spiritual descendants of Abu-Sufyan, the
Destroyer from the House of Umayyah, each bear the blasphemous title 'The Caliph.'
The whore lives in the wilderness of spiritual desolation. "... such souls as tread the valley of
arrogance and pride, are lost in the wilds of remoteness, walk in the ways of their idle fancy, and follow
the dictates of the leaders of their faith." - BH {1}

THE WOMAN'S APPEARANCE DESCRIBED:

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones
and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. -Rev
17:4

The whore is blasphemously arrayed in the purple of royalty and the scarlet of spiritual beauty. She
is bedecked with precious gifts bestowed upon her by her clientele, the corrupt priesthood and
temporal leaders. She carries a beautiful cup containing the intoxicating brew of her perversions.

SHE IS BABYLON:

And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF
HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. -Rev 17:5

The verse explains that the great whore Babylon, the corrupted Word of God, is the secret source of
all the world's abominations.

A RIDDLE:

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and
when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou
marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the
seven heads and the ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not: and shall ascend out of the
bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names
were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that
was, and is not, and yet is. -Rev 17:6-8

The beast that "was" is the Persian empire, {2} which was initiated by Cyrus the Great in 550 BCE.
The beast that "is not" is the empire of Alexander the Great, who conquered the Persian empire in
331 BCE; Alexander's empire was dismantled shortly after his untimely death less than a decade later.
The beast that shall ascend out of the pit of error is the illegitimate caliphate, initiated by the House
of Umayyah in 661 CE.
The riddle describes the Umayyad empire as a continuation of the Persian empire, which, indeed,
resembled it in culture, structure and prosperity. The incursion of Alexander, although introducing
enduring cultural artifacts, in the perspective of history, was little more than a temporary interruption.
The angel explains that the Persian empire was, is not, and yet will be revived. Ultimately, the
illegitimate caliphate that will rule the revived Persian empire, will be destroyed (go into perdition).
Those whose names are not written in the Book of Life will marvel when they behold the Persian
empire come into existence a second time.

And here is the mind that hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman
sitteth. 10 And there are seven kings; five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and
when he cometh he must continue a short space. 11 And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the
eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. -Rev 17:9-11

[REB: 9 'This calls for a mind with insight. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits
enthroned. 10 They also represent seven kings: five have already fallen, one is now reigning, and the
other has not yet come. When he does come, he is to last for only a little while. 11 As for the beast that
was once alive and is alive no longer, he is an eighth- and yet is one of the seven, and he is going to
destruction.]

The riddle concerns the steed on which the corrupted Word is mounted. John is told that the 7
heads represent both 7 mountains and 7 kings.
A 'mountain' is a symbol of a Faith. Thus he is told that the corrupted Word of God will dominate all
of the 7 Churches of Asia that are listed in Chapter 1.
A king governs a dominion, and thus there must be 7 dominions. These are the 7 dominions
governed by the House of Umayyah. We have already listed these dominions in a previous chapter. Of
the 7 dominions, 5 will have fallen and will be under the control of foreign powers before their
conquest by the beast. These were the Roman-Byzantine dominion around Damascus (Palestine and
part of Syria), the dominions of Arabia, Egypt, Africa (Libya), and Andalusia (Spain). One dominion
'is' and remains sovereign until the hour of the beast. This was Persia. The dominion which 'is not yet
come' was Transoxania. It will 'continue a short space,' meaning that it will cease to exist with the
invasion of Genghis Khan in 1218-1220 CE. {3}
The beast that 'was and is not' was the Persian empire and its successor, the empire of Alexander. It
had kings with 7 un-repeated names: Cyrus, Cambyses, Gaumata, Darius, Xerxes, Artaxerxes, and
Alexander. Therefore the Caliph became the eighth 'king' of the Persian empire. And yet he is 'one of
the seven,' meaning that his empire is Islam, one of the seven Churches of Asia.
Verse 11 says that (eventually) the beast will be destroyed. The caliphate was abolished by the
Turkish Grand National Assembly on March 2, 1924, less than three years after the Ascension of
'Abdu'l-Bahá.

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive
power as kings one hour with the beast. -Rev 17:12

The angel explains to John that the 10 horns represent the un-repeated names of rulers who will
receive ephemeral power from the beast, the illegitimate caliphate initiated by the House of Umayyah.
At the time of the Revelation, circa 104 CE, these rulers had not yet appeared but would appear
starting with the hour of the beast, circa 661 CE.
We have already listed these 10 un-repeated names in a previous chapter. Summarizing very briefly,
the first beast was the creation of the archenemy of Muhammad, Abu-Sufyan, the 'Destroyer' and the
secret 'king' over the House of Umayyah (Rev 9:11). His name is un-repeated in the list of chiefs. After
the murder of 'Ali, there were 14 Caliphs from the House of Umayyah, but with only 9 more unrepeated names of chiefs, beginning with Mu'awiya, the son of Abu-Sufyan, and ending with Ibrahim.
In the 'wounded head that healed,' the Cordoban caliphate in Spain, there were 18 neo-Umayyad
Caliphs, but again with only 10 un-repeated names of chiefs, beginning with 'Abd al-Rahman and
ending with Sulayman.
With the usurpation of the caliphate by the second beast, the House of 'Abbas, there were 10
Caliphs with 10 un-repeated names of chiefs, beginning with As-Saffa and ending with Al-Mutawakkil.
Thus the pattern of 10 names was repeated (at least) 3 times in the formative history of Islamdom.
{4}

These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war
with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they
that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. -Rev 17:13-14

Verse 14 reminds us of the 'war' that the beast will make against the Lamb, recounted in Chapter 12.
We recall that the Bab, being a Lord of lords, and King of kings {5}, was also the re-manifestation of
the Twelfth Imam who mysteriously disappeared while still a child in the year 260 AH. "Verily He (the
Bab) is the King of the Messengers and His Book is the Mother Book, did ye but know." "... the Ancient
Beauty appeared in the year sixty (1260 AH), in the person of 'Ali-Muhammad, the Bab." "Thy Lord,
the Most High (the Bab), addresseth thee, from His realm of glory ..." "... this, the Lord of days, ... the

Day in which the Beauty of the All-Glorious shone forth in the exalted person of 'Ali-Muhammad, the
Bab." -BH {6}

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and
multitudes, and nations, and tongues. -Rev 17:15

This defines the sea of humanity, verse 17:1. The corruption of the Word of God is ubiquitous, not
limited to any single race, nation or culture.

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her
desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to
fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be
fulfilled. -Rev 17:16-17

The spiritual descendants of Abu-Sufyan, the Destroyer, will detest the corrupted Word of God, will
make her spiritually desolate, and will condemn her with fiery words. God has ordained that they shall
satisfy His Will and agree with each other, giving their dominions to the illegitimate caliphate until the
end of the Piscean Age.

And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. -Rev
17:18

The great whore is identified as Babylon, the corrupted Word of God. She is the secret Mistress of
the governors of the world.

CHAPTER 18 - THE DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON ↩

SYNOPSIS:

This chapter announces the destruction of the great whore, Babylon, the wicked city [civilization] of
the corrupted Word of God.
The fall of her city is announced by a mighty angel [Gabriel?]. Her services have been used by the
powerful and rich of the earth. The people of the earth are invited to assist in the administration of her
punishment.
The great whore pretended that she was still a fertile source of civilization, and that the Covenant
was still her husband. Therefore her destruction will come at the last Day, the Hour of Judgement. The
rich and powerful of the earth will be saddened by her demise, and the merchandise of her civilization
will no longer be in demand.
The corrupted Word will be 'thrown into the sea' because she has caused the spiritual downfall of so
many souls of the world. The music glorifying the Churches will be silenced, and marriages will no
longer be performed under her laws. Her great secret, that she was the hidden cause of war and
martyrdom of the righteous, will become evident to all.

BABYLON IS FALLEN!

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth
was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is
fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of
every unclean and hateful bird. -Rev 18:1-3

Perhaps it is the archangel Gabriel, the Announcer, who informs John of the collapse of Babylon.
Her city is twice fallen; fallen in heaven and fallen in earth.
Birds are likened to souls or spirits, and may be unclean; "... We have warned the faithful to
anticipate the appearance of the Birds of Darkness. There can be no doubt whatever that the croaking
of the Raven shall be raised in certain lands, as it hath been heard in recent years." "Like the bats of
darkness, they lift not their heads from the couch except to pursue the transient things of the world,
and find no rest by night except as they labor to advance the aims of their sordid life."
But birds can also represent clean souls or spirits: "Bursting through his cage, he will, even as the
bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and everlasting nest. -BH {1}

Since Bahá'u'lláh seized power over the spiritual realm in 1863, the material realm has witnessed a
dramatic decline in the fortunes of the ecclesiastics and temporal rulers. The decline is world-wide, but
the decline in the Christian world will be more evident to Western readers. Students of modern history
of the last 150 years have long marveled at the sudden collapse of institutions and governments that
had roots as remote as the Middle Ages. The Churches of Christendom have witnessed a decline in the
power of their leaders, starting with Pope Pius IX who lost his dominion over the Papal States to
Garibaldi in 1871, while the Russian Orthodox Church lost its power to the Bolsheviks in 1917.
Protestant denominations have fared no better, and have lost their ability to influence governments
and the morality of the citizenry at large. 'Revivalist' movements, whether from the left or the right,
have had little enduring effect, and we witness the rear guard actions of Christendom in disarray and
defeat.

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have
committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance
of her delicacies. -Rev 18:3

Every civilization requires a guiding image. The guiding image determines the cultural values, and
the standards of personal interactions of her citizens. The guiding image also sets the goals of the
government, and forms the basis of the legal codes and the definition of 'justice.' On a more palpable
level, the guiding image determines which material artifacts are 'goods' and which are not, thereby
regulating the standards of industry, the media, the government and the arts, and, consequently, the
distribution of money, power, influence and commitments.

The guiding image ought to be the Truth enunciated in the uncorrupted Word of God, or else it will
create a tyranny, a war machine, or some other satanic form of social organization. And even though a
civilization may have been launched by a divinely inspired image, the depletion of Truth through
overlays of humanly-limited theological speculation, misinterpretation, or deliberate falsification will
inevitably destroy her beauty and integrity, and she will become intolerable.
It is because of the depletion of Truth that mankind has experienced repeated disasters during past
Ages, and, in particular, the schizoid journey of the Piscean Age.

AN INVITATION:

And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of
her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath
remembered her iniquities. 6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double
according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. -Rev 18:4-5

[REB: 6 Pay her back in her own coin, repay her twice over for her deeds! Give her a potion twice as
strong as the one she mixed.]

The victims of the injustice created by the corrupted Word of God are warned to withdraw from her
in order to avoid her plagues and sufferings. Furthermore, they are invited to join in the
administration of those plagues which will befall her in her final destruction.

How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her; for
she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. -Rev 18:7

The verse uses symbols of Isaiah, {2} indicating the parallel of her fall with that of Babylon of the
Chaldeans, her sorcerers, magicians and astrologers. The great whore pretended that she was still
fertile, that her husband the Lamb was still alive, and that she was the Queen of the Covenant.

HER JUDGEMENT:

Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly
burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. -Rev 18:8

The great whore will be destroyed at the Last Day, and she will be burned with the fire of spiritual
torment.

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail
her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning. Standing afar off for the fear of
her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment
come. -Rev 18:9-10

The judgment of the whore will come with the Hour of the Divine Reaper. Smoke is a palpable sign.
Her destruction will be apparent to everyone who has eyes to see.

THE LAMENT OF THE MERCHANTS AND SEAMEN:

And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise
anymore: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and
purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner
vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble. 13 And cinnamon, and odours, and
ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and
horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are
departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, which
were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing. And
saying, Alas, alas that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked
with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! - Rev 18:11-16

[REB: 13 "..... and human lives."]

The merchants and traders of the Piscean Age have been made rich by making use of false doctrine,
the services of the whore. The verses describe some of their commodities of luxury, and warns the
traders in these 'goods' that their wealth and power will be seized from them.

For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships,
and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her
burning, saying, what city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried,
weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas that great city wherein were made rich all that had ships in the
sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. -Rev 18:17-19

The wealth from the services of the whore of the Piscean Age will not be limited to any one country,
nor even to one continent.

THE GREAT MILLSTONE:

Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with
violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. -Rev 18:20-21

The metaphor of a millstone cast into the sea is used by Jesus in the synoptic Gospels. The great
whore will suffer the fate of one who causes the spiritual downfall of another. {3} But the metaphor
used in the context of Revelation suggests a less obvious meaning. The zodiacal wheel is likened to a
great millstone. {4} In golden times at the beginning of a new Age, the mill grinds out peace, plenty
and happiness. But as times worsen, the mill grinds out salt. Finally, at the end of the Age, it ends up at
the bottom of the sea where it creates a vast whirlpool, a Maelstrom, and grinds out rock and sand.

And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all
in thee; and no craftsman, of whatever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a
millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in
thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy
merchants were the great men of the earth; and by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. -Rev 18:22-

The language of Jeremiah {5} is used once again to show the parallel to a Fall. But in Jeremiah's
prophecy, the Fall is to be that of Israel to Babylon. In the context of Revelation, the physical city of
Babylon will be a ruin as explained by Jeremiah. {6} It is a spiritual Babylon, the civilization created by
the corrupted Word of God, that will fall at the end of the Piscean Age. The music played in
glorification of the whore will be silenced. Those industries dependent upon her will grind to a halt.
The Light of Guidance that she blasphemously carried will be snuffed out, and marriages will no longer
be sanctified under her laws.

THE TRUE CULPRIT:

And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
-Rev 18:24

We are again reminded that the corrupted Word of God is the secret cause of war and the murders
of the righteous.

CHAPTER 19 - THE TRIUMPH OF BAHA'U'LLAH ↩

SYNOPSIS:

After an introductory salutation, a 'wedding' between the Covenant and the purified and cleansed
Word of God is announced. Those who are invited to the wedding feast are blessed.
The 'Master' who is to preside over the feast is introduced. He is Bahá'u'lláh, who rides the white
horse of Divine doctrine, but now called Faithful and True. Several of his attributes are described, and
in particular his 'vesture dipped in blood,' signifying that he is the 'long lost Joseph' now returning in

triumph and power. Since he is the Lord of Hosts, he is accompanied by his retinue of 'heavenly hosts'.
His servant, the angel 'in the sun,' invites the social rejects and disenfranchised to the feast, just as
foretold by Jesus in the Parable of the Wedding Feast. The repast of the feast is to be the villains of
past Ages, the clients of the great whore- the corrupted Word of God.
Again, the final struggle for the minds and souls of men is alluded to. The battle is joined, and the
villains of the Piscean Age are vanquished. The true meaning of the 'feast' thereby becomes manifest.

PRAISE UNTO GOD:

And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and
glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God; For true and righteous are his judgments: for
he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the
blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia, and her smoke rose up for ever and
ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the
throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his
servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. -Rev 19:1-5

The voice out of the throne is that of Bahá'u'lláh, the Bird of the Celestial Throne. He is to be the
spokesman for God during the Leo-Aquarian Age.

And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many thunderings, saying,
Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. -Rev 19:6

The voice of many waters and mighty thunderings is that of the Manifestations of God, and their
many peoples, nations and languages.

THE BRIDE IS READIED:

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife
hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and
white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. -Rev 19:7-8

The language of Isaiah {1} is used here. The corrupted daughter of Babylon, cleansed and purified,
is to be reunited with her husband, the eternal Covenant. The Lamb's Bride is to be the mother of a
new civilization, a 'new Jerusalem.' It will replace the corrupted civilization of Babylon.

The symbolism of white linen is revealed.

THOSE INVITED TO THE WEDDING FEAST:

And He saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And he saith unto me, these are the true sayings of God. 10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he
said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of
Jesus: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. -Rev 19:9

[REB: 9 The angel said to me, 'Write this: "Happy are those who are invited to the wedding banquet of
the Lamb!" ' He added, 'These are the very words of God.' 10 I prostrated myself to worship him, but
he said, 'You must not do that! I am a fellow-servant with you and your brothers who bear witness to
Jesus. It is God you must worship. For those who bear witness to Jesus have the spirit of prophecy.']

The angel alludes to Jesus' Parable of the Feast. {2} John is told that the words are from God, and

he proceeds to prostrate himself before the messenger. However, John is admonished for this act, and
reminded to worship the Originator of the message and not the Messenger. A true witness to the
Prophethood of Jesus, will, himself, have the spirit of prophecy, and will look to God, the real Source of
the Prophetic Spirit. During his earthly sojourn, Jesus often attempted to make his devotees
understand this distinction:

"When you have lifted up the Son of Man you will know that I am what I am. I do nothing on my
own authority, but in all I say, I have been taught by my Father." "To believe in me, is not to believe in
me but in him who sent me; ..." -REB: John 8:28, 12:44

THE MASTER OF THE FEAST:

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and
True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. -Rev 19:11

Bahá'u'lláh is the Lord of Hosts, that is, the Lord of the Heavenly Armies. He is shown riding a
white horse, a symbol of spiritual power and authority. Whereas in Chapter 6, the rider of the white
horse was the corrupted Church, now the horse is ridden by Faithful and True, a synonym for many of
the titles of Bahá'u'lláh.
Examples of his titles that are equivalent to 'Faithful and True' are: Bearer of the Trust of God,
Fountain of the Root of Knowledge, Well Spring of Revelation, Bird of the Throne, Word of Truth, Sun
of Truth, Day Star of Divine Revelation.

'Faithful and True' (Greek 'Pistos kai Alethinos') has a literal value of 1269 by gematria and an
archetypal value of 9, the Seal of Bahá'u'lláh. There may be a double-entendre here; 1269 AH is also
the date of the third woe, the Revelation to Bahá'u'lláh in the Black Pit.

His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that
no man knew, but he himself. -Rev 19:12

'Eyes as a flame of fire' was introduced in 1:14 and 2:18, and describes the stunning eyes of
Bahá'u'lláh. The many crowns he wears are his many titles and his sovereignty over the Divinely
revealed Faiths of the world.
360 variants of the word 'Bahá'' ('Glory') were written by the Bab on his mystic Tablet called the
'White Stone' (2:17). When this Tablet was delivered to his devotees, only 'Husayn-'Ali knew that the
name referred to him, and that the Tablet revealed the Name of the next Manifestation.
The Covenant is always transmitted through the Ages by the 'White Stone.' Although false prophets
will always claim the 'White Stone' as their own, only the True Prophet, the Manifestation of God, is
capable of revealing its hidden contents and through the power of His Utterance prove that its
concealed Name refers only to Himself.

HIS VESTURE:

And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called The Word of God. -Rev
19:13

His 'vesture dipped in blood' alludes to the cloak of Joseph. {3} In the Genesis story, the brothers of
Joseph become jealous over a beautiful multicolored cloak given to him by their father Jacob. They
hatch a plot to get rid of Joseph and throw him into a pit in the wilderness. In order to explain the
disappearance of Joseph to their father, they soak the cloak in blood as evidence that he had been
devoured by a wild beast. The Genesis story goes on to recount the eventual triumph of Joseph over his

family in Egypt through the power bestowed upon him by pharaoh.
The story of Joseph is a prophecy of the sufferings of Bahá'u'lláh and his eventual triumph. As a
result of the confiscation of his property, Bahá'u'lláh was left without even a cloak to wear. His loved
ones pieced together a multicolored cloak made of remnants of other garments. The resulting garment
was then, literally, dyed red.
Indeed, the sufferings sustained by Bahá'u'lláh are historic. Though born into a wealthy and
powerful family (as was Lord Buddha), his property was confiscated, he was imprisoned in dungeons
and jails, bound by massive chains, banished from place to place over a period of 40 years, was the
target of numerous conspiracies and attempts on his life, was poisoned twice, and underwent the
torture of the bastinado. "By the righteousness of God! The tribulations we have sustained are such
that any pen that recounteth them cannot but be overwhelmed with anguish. No one of them that truly
believe and uphold the unity of God can bear the burden of their recital. So great have been our
sufferings that even the eyes of Our enemies have wept over Us, and beyond them those of every
discerning person." -BH {4}
The 'Word of God' (Greek ''O Logos Theou') has a literal value of 927 and an archetypal value of 9,
the Seal of Bahá'u'lláh. Some of the titles of Bahá'u'lláh that are synonyms for this phrase are: Pen of
the Most High, Voice of the Ancient of Days, the Mystic Herald, Voice From the Burning Bush,
Fountain of Wisdom, Tongue of Eternity, Spirit of God, Pen of the Most Great Name.

HIS RETINUE:

And the armies which were in heaven followed him on white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and
clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall
rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty
God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF
LORDS. -Rev 19:14-16

The weapon of the Lord of Hosts is the Sword of Truth. Even though his weapon is not physical, he
rules the nations with a 'rod of iron,' not with a shepherd's hook. He is the Divine Reaper, and is KING
OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.{5}
Bahá'u'lláh has declared himself, in unequivocal terms, to be 'King of Kings.'{6} Although many
have claimed that the title belongs to Jesus, nowhere do we find evidence that Jesus actually claimed
this title or any of the other titles implied by these verses. There is substantial evidence in the New
Testament that Jesus claimed the title 'Messiah' or 'Christ', but not the title 'King of Kings.'
Paradoxically, the best evidence that Jesus, in truth, was the 'Messiah of the Jews' comes from the
Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, wherein the spiritual rank of Jesus is exalted in unparalleled terms. Jesus
alludes to this paradox in John:

'When the Spirit of Truth comes .... . He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and make it
known to you.' -REB: John 16:13,14

HIS DEVOTEES ARE INVITED:

And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in
the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God: -Rev 19:17

[REB: 17 .... He cried aloud to all the birds flying in mid- heaven: ...]

The angel stands in the Sun of Truth and invites the birds of 'mid-heaven' to partake of the wedding
feast of the Lamb.

In Jesus' Parable of he Wedding Feast, the Master of the household (the Manifestation) invites his
friends and colleagues (devotees) to come to a magnificent feast. They all decline, giving one excuse or
another. Finally, in anger, the Master tells his servant to

'Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town, and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind
and the lame ... I want my house full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall taste my
banquet.' -REB: Luke 14:21-24

In 18:2 we learned that the civilization created by the whore of Babylon has become the "cage of
every unclean and hateful bird." Now we see that the social rejects and disenfranchised of that
civilization are to partake of the feast. In response to the question,

"Where, Lord [is to be the Kingdom of God]?"

Jesus answered,

"Where the carcass is, there will the vultures gather." -REB: Luke 17:20, 37

That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh
of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and
great. -Rev 19:18

The social rejects and disenfranchised are invited to consume the 'flesh' of those who have become
rich and powerful through the use of false doctrine during the Piscean Age. The four horses and their
riders of Chapter 6 are specifically included in the repast (the corrupt religious leaders, the
warmongers, the captains of economic injustice, and the ungodly). The repast also includes those
socially underprivileged who 'wear the wrong garments' to the feast {7}, that is, those who may be
victims but who violate the Covenant.

"For many are invited, but few are chosen." {8}

HIS ENEMIES GATHER FOR BATTLE:

And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war
against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. -Rev 19:19

The caliphate and the other corrupt powers of the earth gather their forces in an attempt to destroy
the Message of Bahá'u'lláh, the Divine Reaper.
Besides the murders, imprisonments, torture and persecutions of Bahá'ís in the East, we see the
forces of negation starting to gather in the West. 'Bahá'í-ism' is occasionally attacked from the pulpit;
emotionally charged books that falsely label the Bahá'í Faith as a 'cult,' or as simply an 'heretical sect of
Islam' are now available in bookstores; individuals and groups, both overt and covert, are attacking the
Faith through various media.
HIS ENEMIES TAKEN:

And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which
he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These
both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. -Rev 19:20

[REB: 20 The beast was taken prisoner, along with the false prophet who had worked miracles in its
presence ...]

The annihilation of the caliphate, and the collapse of the 'Azali' movement (the partisans of Mirza
Yahya) are specifically prophesied.

And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceedeth
out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh. -Rev 19:21

The remainder of those named in the indictment of verse 18 are to be vanquished by the Word of
God emanating from the Pen of Bahá'u'lláh, the KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.{9}

CHAPTER 20 - SATAN BOUND ↩

SYNOPSIS:

This chapter reveals the meaning of 'death,' 'resurrection,' the 'second death,' etc., and even gives a
brief glimpse of events of the next thousand years! The sequence of events [beginning with the
rejection of Jesus], is as follows:{1}

Rejection of Jesus the Messiah = First Death
Acceptance of Bahá'u'lláh = First Resurrection
Satan bound a thousand years
Judgement of the dead
Rejection of Bahá'u'lláh - Second Death
The Millennium of Peace
Satan released for a short time
Gog and Magog wage war on the saints
'Fire from heaven' = another Manifestation of God (?)
Second Resurrection
Satan bound a second time

The chapter opens with satanic forces of deception being 'bound' for a thousand years, that is, the
'Millennium.' But we are warned that, afterwards, these negative forces will be loosed once again for a
'little season.'
The power of spiritual dominion during the thousand years is to be given to those 'sitting on
thrones,' that is, to the Bahá'í Universal House of Justice. The 'psyches' of the righteous of the Piscean
Age are to be 'resurrected' and will reign with the Anointed One, Bahá'u'lláh, during that thousand
years.
The remaining 'psyches' will not become 'resurrected' until the end of the thousand years.
After the thousand years, the satanic forces of deception will, once again, be loosed into the world.
Another great 'war' is forecast, this time waged by the evil forces of 'Gog and Magog' against the 'camp
of the saints' [Mount Carmel?] and the 'beloved city' [Haifa or Jerusalem?]. But 'fire from God'
[another Manifestation?] will overpower the satanic forces of Gog and Magog. The 'Deceiver' and the
guilty are to be judged and cast into the 'lake of fire' by One sitting on a 'great white throne'
[Bahá'u'lláh or the next Manifestation?].

We recall that in a letter to the Leo-Aquarian Jews (the Church of 'Smyrna'), verse 2:11, those Jews
who are able to overcome the false teachings within their Faith will be able to avoid the 'second death.'
Their 'first death' followed from their rejection of the healing Message of Jesus. As a consequence,
their Temple was destroyed, Jerusalem became a desolate ruin, and they were sent into a world-wide
exile that lasted for almost two-millennia. The 'Exile' itself has become their religion, in which they

cling to the hope of a 'Messiah,' presumably a genetic descendant of David {2}, who will come to
restore their kingdom and the glory of ancient days. Their religion has become a 'dead' religion of
tradition, without 'spirit.'

SATAN BOUND A THOUSAND YEARS:

And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in
his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound
him a thousand years, And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him,
that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he
must be loosed a little season. -Rev 20:1-3

Following the triumph of Bahá'u'lláh, the forces of negation and deception will be held in check for
a thousand years, the 'Millennium.' But, for a brief time following the thousand years, satanic forces
will once again be released into the world of man.

JUDGEMENT AND THE FIRST RESURRECTION :

And I saw thrones, and they that sat on them, and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls
of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not
worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in
their hands; and they reigned with Christ a thousand years. -Rev 20:4

The power of spiritual dominion will be given to the Bahá'í Universal House of Justice who sit on
nine THRONES {16} during the Millennium. The 'souls' of the righteous will be 'resurrected' and will
reign with the Anointed One for the duration of the Millennium. Among those souls will be the martyrs
of Jesus, and of those who died for the Word of God from every Divinely revealed Faith, and even
those true Muslims who voted with their feet to avoid paying the taxes that kept the 'beast' alive during
the Piscean Age.
The 'resurrection' will be of 'souls' (Greek 'psyche'), not of 'bodies.' The meaning of this is that the
heavenly attributes and virtues of the saintly and righteous of former Dispensations will become remanifested among those reigning with the Anointed One.

".... 'In very truth I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and
spirit. Flesh can give birth only to flesh; it is spirit that gives birth to spirit ..." "Whoever eats my flesh
and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. ... This is the bread which
came down from heaven; it is not like the bread which our fathers ate; they are dead, but whoever eats
this bread will live for ever." -REB: John 3:5-6, 6:54-58

"... Even as Jesus said: 'Ye must be born again.'{3} Again He saith, 'Except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit.' The purport of these words is that whosoever in every dispensation
{4} is born of the Spirit and is quickened by the breath of the Manifestation of Holiness, he verily is of
those that have attained 'life' and 'resurrection' and have entered the 'paradise' of the love of God. And
whosoever is not of them, is condemned to 'death' and 'deprivation,' to the 'fire' of unbelief, and to the
'wrath' of God. In all scriptures, the books and chronicles, the sentence of death, of fire, of blindness, of
want of understanding and hearing, hath been pronounced against those whose lips have tasted not
the etherial cup of true knowledge, and whose hearts have been deprived of the grace of the Holy Spirit
in their day. Even as it hath been previously recorded: 'Hearts have they with which they understand
not.' " -BH {5}

"He (Jesus) said, 'If any man eat this bread, he shall live forever.' That is to say whosoever
assimilates these divine perfections which are within me will never die; whosoever has a share and
partakes of these heavenly bounties I embody will find eternal life; he who takes unto himself these
divine lights shall find life everlasting.' How manifest the meaning is! How evident! For the soul which
acquires divine perfections and seeks heavenly illumination from the teachings of Christ will
undoubtedly live eternally. This is one of the mysteries of sacrifice." -AB {7}

THE SECOND DEATH:

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first
resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath a part in the first resurrection: on such the second death
hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand
years. -Rev 20:5-6

John learns that many 'psyches' will not be re-manifested in the First Resurrection. Those righteous
psyches who are re-manifested will reign as 'priests' with the Anointed One (Bahá'u'lláh) for the
duration of the Millennium.
Apparently there will be many who do not accept the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. These will be
excluded from the New Jerusalem that will 'come down from God out of heaven' in the next chapter.

SATAN RELEASED AGAIN; GOG AND MAGOG:

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison. 8 And shall go out to
deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them
together to battle: and the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. -Rev 20:7-8

[REB: 7-8 When the thousand years are ended, Satan will be let loose from his prison, and he will
come out to seduce the nations in the four quarters of the earth. He will muster them for war, the hosts
of Gog and Magog, countless as the sands of the sea.]

The enigmatic forces of Gog and Magog that are the subject of Ezekiel {6} are introduced. Just
exactly who these names represent has been the subject of much speculation and debate. Such
speculation is fruitless, since the events prophesied in these and following verses are to transpire a
thousand years from now, and prophecies are only helpful in elucidating the past, not in predicting the
future. A few points will be stressed that are evident from these verses and other sources:

The forces are to be very numerous and will come from a wide region, perhaps the whole earth.
At least a thousand years will have elapsed from the Revelation of Bahá'u'lláh. Ezekiel {8} informs
us that Israel will have been restored and at peace for a long time.
The object of the invasion will be to take spoils. {9}
The invasion will fail through divine agency. {10}

Those are the salient points regarding Gog and Magog that can be gleaned from the biblical texts.
But there are other points to be found in the Qur'an regarding Gog and Magog:

Their forces will "hasten from every high land." {11} A Figure (code-named?) "Dhoulkarnain"
(literally 'The two-horned') will be given power by God to lead forces against Gog and Magog. {12}

SATAN BOUND A SECOND TIME:

And they went up to the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the

beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. And the devil that
deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are,
and shall be tormented day and night for ever. -Rev 20:9-10

[REB: 9 They marched over the breadth of the land and laid siege to the camp of God's people and the
city that he loves. But fire came down on them from heaven and consumed them.]

These are necessarily pure speculations: The 'camp of God's people' may allude to the Bahá'í World
Center on Mount Carmel. The 'city that He loves' could be Jerusalem; then again it could be Haifa, or
some other city that will be loved by God during the Millennium of Peace.
The 'fire from heaven' correlates with Ezekiel {13} and the Qur'an {14}. The meaning is ambiguous,
and it could mean the fiery words of a prophet or of another Manifestation of God. We shall have to
wait and see.

THE GREAT WHITE THRONE:

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face earth and heaven fled away;
and there was found no place for them. -Rev 20:11

Again the words are ambiguous, probably by design. Is the One sitting on the throne Bahá'u'lláh, or
is he/she the Manifestation who will follow Bahá'u'lláh? {15}
No 'place' for whom? The answer is found in verse 14- "Hades and Death." After the Millennium,
the Dragon is to be captured and imprisoned for a second time, and finally cast into the "lake of fire"
where the beast and the false prophet are already bound.
Some may be disappointed that the next thousand years is not an 'open book.' If it were so, there
would be no test from heaven 'about the weight of a talent' for the next spiritual generation.
Bahá'u'lláh has warned us not to expect another Manifestation of God until at least a full thousand
years has transpired, but has not specified the maximum time for us to wait. The Writings also tell us
that the 'Age of Prophecy' began with the Prophet Adam and ended with Muhammad, the 'Seal of the
Prophets.' The 'Age of Fulfillment' began with the Bab, but its duration has not been revealed. We are
told, however, that the future Manifestations will be 'under the shadow' of Bahá'u'lláh for, perhaps,
five-hundred-thousand years.

THE SECOND DEATH:

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book
was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written
in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and
hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their
works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. -Rev 20:12-14

[REB: 14 Then Death and Hades were flung into the lake of fire. This lake of fire is the second death; ]

The 'second death' is the 'lake' of spiritual torment and unbelief. The sea of humanity is to be judged
according to their deeds in the Balance of the Word of God.

And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. -Rev 20:15

CHAPTER 21 - THE HOLY CITY ↩

SYNOPSIS:

After having a glimpse of the Millennium of Peace, John is now granted the inestimable privilege of
seeing, in figurative form, the new Jerusalem that will attend the Manifestation of the Glory of God,
Bahá'u'lláh. The new Jerusalem is to be the fulfillment of the prophecies of Jesus and the Jewish
prophets of old.
The chapter opens with John seeing 'a new sky and a new earth'; it is the future Age of Leo-
Aquarius. New spiritual and material laws attend the new Age. The sea of uncertainty that attended the
Piscean Age will have disappeared.
The City of 'new Jerusalem' will replace Babylon, the wicked city. John sees the new Jerusalem
descending, figuratively, from the cosmos. It is to be an earthly microcosm of the heavenly macrocosm.
The new Law is characterized as the 'bride' that will be re- married to the Covenant- the Lamb. The
Tabernacle of God, long since disappeared from the earthly realm, will, once again, exist on earth with
mankind. Spiritual pain and the sorrow of death will disappear.
The Alpha and the Omega, Bahá', will make all things new, and the Word of God will be disbursed
throughout humanity without cost. Those souls who have overcome the false teachings of the former
Faiths shall inherit all the City's spiritual riches, and they shall be sons of God. Those who are fearful of
investing their single 'talent of silver,'the atheists, the despicable, etc., will be deprived of the spiritual
riches of the new Jerusalem.
John is carried to a high place where he can see the new Jerusalem in all its panoramic splendor.
He sees that it has Bahá'u'lláh, the Glory of God, as its Governor. The City resembles, in microcosm,
the heavens, with its twelve celestial gates (the zodiac), and with each gate guarded by an angel. As
explained in Genesis 49, the names of the twelve tribes are inscribed on the gates. The 12 foundations
are seen to be inscribed by the names of the 12 Apostles, just as Jesus had promised.
The City has a pyramidal shape with sacred dimensions. An angel measures the Sacred City with a
spiritual measure, a 'golden reed.' The occult pyramid, like the Bahá'í House of Worship, is seen to
contain 9, the number of Bahá', in various parameters, and to fit perfectly inside the celestial sphere
from which it descended, thereby marrying the material and spiritual laws in perfect harmony.
The protective outer wall of the City is also seen to have sacred dimensions, but this time it is
metered by the cubit, a sacred measure of the Perfect Man. The 'height' of the wall is twice-72 cubits,
corresponding to the 144-multitudes who are to be redeemed from all Ages and Faiths.
Even the materials used in the building of the Sacred City are seen to have spiritual significance.
The 12 Foundation Stones represent the 12 Basic Principles of the Bahá'í Faith. Only those with the
innocence of pearls will be allowed to enter the gates of the new Jerusalem.
The City contains no physical 'temples,' that is, 'barriers' that separate God from man; Bahá'u'lláh is
to give 'light' to the City while 'Abdu'l-Bahá is to be its 'lamp.' Neither is there to be a priestly
hierarchy.

THE NEW HEAVEN AND EARTH:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and
there was no more sea. -Rev 21:1

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away." - REB: Matt 24:35

The prophecy of Jesus becomes fulfilled with this verse. The Precession of the Equinoxes has caused
the 'heaven' or 'sky' (Greek 'ouranos') of the Piscean Age to give way to the sky of the Leo-Aquarian
Age. By the 'law of correspondences' the 'earth' (Greek 'ge') has also been replaced by a new Era of
human affairs. But even though we have a new sky and a new civilization, the words of Jesus are still

with us!
The Divine Law is always composed of two parts: the eternal spiritual Law that remains unchanged
from Age to Age, and the material Law that must be altered to accommodate the evolutionary changes
in the human condition. For example, in the Leo-Aquarian Age, the Law of only One God, and the
'Golden Rule' are still in effect. But there is no longer ambiguity regarding the permissibility of slavery,
or the equality of men and women. Also, we are living in a world of technology and science, a world
inconceivable to the common citizen of the Piscean Age. The Law of the 'new earth' must accommodate
these and other irreversible facts of human history.
"No more sea" means that there will no longer be the 'sea' of chaos, of doubt and disbelief
concerning the existence of God, or of life after death, and other Divinely revealed truths among the
citizens of the new Jerusalem.

JOHN SEES THE NEW JERUSALEM:

And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a
bride adorned for her husband. -Rev 21:2

"O ye beloved of God! O ye children of the Kingdom! Verily, verily the new heaven and the new
earth are come. The holy City, new Jerusalem, hath come down from heaven on high in the form of a
maid of heaven, veiled, beauteous, and unique, and prepared for reunion with her lovers on earth."
-AB {1}
The symbol of Isaiah {2} is alluded to. But in Isaiah, her husband is the Lord of hosts, the Holy One
of Israel. In the Apocalypse, her husband is to be the Lamb, a symbol of the Sacrificial Hero and the
Eternal Covenant. Either way, the symbol is valid, since the marriage symbolizes the renewal of he
Covenant by the Twin Manifestation.
'Jerusalem' (Greek 'Hierousalem') has a literal value of 864 and an archetypal value of 9, the Seal of
Bahá'u'lláh. 864 is exactly twice 432, the literal value of 'new name,' {3} which also has an archetypal
value of 9.

THE TABERNACLE IS WITH MANKIND:

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will
dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
-Rev 21:3

[REB: 3 I heard a loud voice proclaiming from the throne: 'Now God has his dwelling with mankind!]

The voice is that of Bahá'u'lláh, the Bird of the Celestial Throne.

THE END OF SPIRITUAL DEATH:

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,
nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. - Rev 21:4

As in most of the Apocalypse, the words are to be taken spiritually. In the new Jerusalem, the belief
in the eternal life of the spirit will be firmly grounded, no longer lost in a sea of uncertainty and doubt.
The sorrow, crying and anguish of physical death will be eliminated. The verse alludes to Isaiah: {4}

.... take delight in Jerusalem and rejoice in my people; the sound of weeping, the cry of distress will be
heard in her no more. - REB: Isaiah 65:19

The same chapter of Isaiah also quotes the words of Bahá'u'lláh: "Here am I! Here am I!",{5}
spoken to a nation that does not invoke him by name. It also contains an interesting reference to Achor
and Sharon: "....; they will belong to my people who seek me." {6} "But you that forsake the Lord and
ignore my holy mountain, who spread a table for the god of Fate, and fill bowls of spiced wine in
honour of Destiny, I shall destine you for the sword, ..." {7} "I am creating new heavens and a new
earth!" {8} Greatly extended physical longevity is prophesied. {9} "The wolf and the lamb will feed
together and the lion will eat straw like the ox, and as for the serpent, its food will be dust. Neither hurt
nor harm will be done in all my holy mountain, says the Lord." {10} {11}

THE ALPHA AND OMEGA MAKES ALL THINGS NEW:

And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for
these words are true and faithful. And said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. -Rev 21:5-6

The words are "true and faithful" because they come from "Faithful and True," the rider of the white
horse in verse 19:11. Recall that Faithful and True has an archetypal value of 9, as does Alpha and
Omega. In contrast to former sacerdotal orders that may have required a tithe or a payment in return
for the dispensing of sacraments, the Word of God is to be disbursed free of charge in the new Age.
The 'beginning and the end' alludes to:

"From the beginning I reveal the end, from ancient times what is yet to be; I say, 'My purpose stands, I
shall accomplish all that I please.' I summon a bird of prey from the east- from a distant land a man to
fulfil my design. ..." -REB: Isaiah 46:10-11

The words of Isaiah remind us of a claim of Bahá'u'lláh: "I am the royal Falcon on the arm of the
Almighty."{30}

THE SAVED AND THE DAMNED:

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the
fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and
idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake of fire which burneth with fire and brimstone:
which is the second death. -Rev 21:7-8

The "fearful" are the first on the list of those who will suffer the second death- those devotees of
past Faiths who are afraid to risk their single talent of silver will not become sons of God, the citizens
of the new Jerusalem. Atheists, the obscene and liars of every kind will suffer the same fate as
murderers, fornicators (REB), sorcerers and idolaters.

JOHN IS PERMITTED TO SEE THE BRIDE:

And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last
plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he
carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy
Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto
stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as a crystal; -Rev 21:9-11

It has been an objective of man down through the Ages to mirror God's heavenly realm with
physical structures. Now John witnesses the ancient dream becoming a reality as the holy City
descends from the God of the heavens and the earth. The new Jerusalem is to exist on the earthly

plane, not suspended in space somewhere in the outer cosmos. It will be an earthly microcosm of the
heavenly macrocosm.
Bahá'u'lláh, the Glory of God, is to be the name of the Manifestation who will govern the new
Jerusalem. His name is given for the second time in the Apocalypse, the first being in 15:8.
The jasper stone, {12} already mentioned in 4:3, symbolizes the oneness of humanity, having many
colors but particularly red, the hue of the human heart. Bahá'u'lláh's mission includes, as a paramount
objective, the unification of mankind with all their various Faiths.

THE TWELVE GATES OF THE CITY:

And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written
thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on
the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. -Rev 21:12-13

The twelve gates correspond to the twelve zodiacal signs and their supposed divine (angelic)
influences in the world of man.

'Abdu'l-Bahá {16} has revealed the significance of the twelve gates. His Tablets are summarized:
According to the theories of astrologers (not to be taken literally {17}), the world of physical
possibilities is determined by the dawning place of the phenomenal sun shining through those
constellations. Similarly, the Sun of Truth manifests and pours forth His bounty in twelve
constellations of holiness. The twelve constellations of holiness have been manifested in different Ages
as the twelve sons of Jacob, the twelve chiefs of tribes with Moses, the twelve Apostles of Jesus, and
the twelve Imams of Islam. {18}
The Heavenly Jerusalem, the sacred Law of God, therefore has twelve Gates or Stars of Guidance
through which advancing souls enter into the City of God. Each one of the holy souls in the twelve
constellations of holiness has received the power of Divine confirmation. Since, symbolically, the
Twelve Gates surround the entire universe, all existence is under the shadow of these souls, and these
Gates are the foundations of the City of God, the Divine Jerusalem.
In contrast to the heavenly macrocosm that was considered to be a sphere, the base of the earthly
microcosm is square, with sides oriented to the four cardinal directions and four corners symbolic of
the equinoxes and solstices. We recall that the names on the gates were derived in Chapter 7 by
correlating Genesis 49 with Revelation 7:5-8: {19}

Reuben/Aquarius, Zebulon/Pisces, Gad/Aries, Issachar/Taurus, Simeon & Levi/Gemini,
Benjamin/Cancer, Judah/Leo, Dinah (veiled)/Virgo, Asher/Libra, Manasses/Flying Eagle,
Joseph/Sagittarius, Nephtali/Capricorn.{13}

The zodiac as revealed in Chapter 7 has two remarkable differences from the pre-Piscean maledominated zodiac. Due to the coalescing of Simeon & Levi into the single sign of Gemini, a space in the
zodiac is left for Virgo. Thus in the Piscean Age, womanhood was secretly elevated to her rightful place
in the sun. This accounts for the influence of Virgo (though still veiled) in the holy Figures of Mary and
Fatima. Secondly, the occult substitution of Manasses/Flying Eagle for Dan/Scorpio invalidated the
theory that evil influences emanate from the zodiac through the sign Scorpio, which, according to
astrological theology, derives its power from the God of the cosmos. Thus God became totally
benevolent, the God of Love, and evil influences could no longer be attributed to Him. These principles
are overtly elevated to the rank of revealed Law in the Leo-Aquarian Age.

THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE WALL:

And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the
Lamb. -Rev 21:14

In this case, the Lamb is Jesus, and his Twelve Apostles are memorialized forever by correlating
their names with the Twelve Foundation Stones of the new Jerusalem.
We have previously discussed the probable names of the Apostles corresponding to each of the
twelve zodiacal signs. To review: {14}

Simon-Peter the Fisherman = Pisces; Levi the Tax Collector = Libra; Simon the Zealot = Aries;
Thomas the Doubter = Taurus; James & John the Sons of Thunder = Gemini; Judas Iscariot the
Betrayer = Scorpio. {15} Also Mary the Virgin (veiled) = Virgo. Less likely are Andrew, brother of
Simon-Peter (also a fisherman) = Aquarius; Judas, son of James (also a fisherman) = Cancer.

But Scorpio is to be removed from his position in the zodiac in the Leo-Aquarian Age. As explained
in Acts 1:26, Matthi'as was chosen by lot to replace Judas Iscariot. Therefore the new sign replacing
Judas Iscariot/Scorpio is Matthi'as/Flying Eagle. Unknown are the roles of Philip, Bartholomew and
Matthew, who are probably to be correlated with Leo, Sagittarius and Capricorn.

THE SPIRITUAL METERING STICK:

And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall
thereof. -Rev 21:15

"In this Greatest Day, the rod of the plant and the rod of iron are changed into a rod which is of
pure gold and is from the endless treasuries of the Kingdom of God." {20}

THE SACRED GEOMETRY:

And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with
the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and breadth and height of it are equal. - Rev 21:16

The verse is ambiguous, but regardless of the assumptions made, the dimensions of the holy City
can be shown to have occult significance.
Although many geometric figures have equal length, breadth and height, the most ubiquitous are
the cube and the pyramid. In a pilgrim's note {21} 'Abdu'l-Bahá explains that a pyramidal shape is
intended by the verse, since it is a natural and enduring shape.
Besides the symbolism of the pyramid as mirroring the natural and enduring qualities of the
pristine Word of God, one recognizes the fact that pyramids have been built as sacred structures
throughout the oecumene, the most impressive, perhaps, being those at Giza. {22}
The 12-thousand furlongs of verse 16 correlate with the 12 signs of the zodiac, and the pyramid's
base becomes 3-thousand furlongs (an earthly measure) on each side. But how do we measure the
height of the pyramid? With only a golden rod, the only remaining dimension of the pyramid that can
be readily measured is the slant edge, and this will be taken as its 'height.' And, indeed, a work by the
ancient Greek historian Herodotus strengthens this conjecture, since the length of the slant edge was
given to Herodotus as the height of the Great Pyramid by an Egyptian priest, circa 450 BCE.
Thus the holy City becomes a perfect pyramid with all 8 edges equaling 3,000 units of earthly
measure.
The first inference that can be drawn from this geometry is that it will fit perfectly inside a
hemisphere, with the square base just inside the circle. {22} The square, in astrological geometry,

represents the 'square earth,' while the circle represents the 'eternal circle of heaven.' By analogy, the
square base of the pyramid represents the temporal Law of God that must be modified to fit contingent
historical conditions, while the enclosing circle represents the eternal Law that remains unchanged
throughout the Ages. The holy City thus 'squares the circle,' {23} the ancient dream of mystics
throughout the Ages.
The corners of the base of the pyramid represent the four 'pillars' of the Leo-Aquarian Age:
Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Bab, and Shoghi Effendi.{24} The apex of the pyramid represents the
Apex of the world {25} and points the way to the open door in heaven.
The four sides of the pyramid correspond, not only to the four annual seasons, but to the four
zodiacal seasons, one full zodiacal year {26} being the time required for the Precession of the
Equinoxes to complete a full cycle of the zodiac. The last zodiacal season, beginning at the Age of
Taurus and ending at the start of the Age of Leo-Aquarius, covered a period of about 6,500 years,
roughly equal to the traditional duration of the Adamic Cycle.
It can be shown with a little algebra {27} that the following parameters of the holy City will each
have an archetypal value of 9:

The area of the base
The perimeter of each triangular face
The area of each triangular face
The total area of the four triangular faces
The total area of the pyramid
The volume of the pyramid

That the dimensions of the holy City contain hidden meanings can be inferred by the emphasis
placed upon them by Ezekiel. But the dimensions, like the holy City itself, are symbolic, not physical.
Zechariah reveals that the real Jerusalem cannot be measured, nor will it have physical walls:

"... I myself shall be a wall of fire around it, says the Lord, and a glorious presence within it." -REB:
Zech 2:1-5

THE HEIGHT OF THE WALL:

And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a
man, that is, of the angel. -Rev 21:17

[REB: 17 Its wall was one hundred and forty-four cubits high, by human measurements, which the
angel used.]

The verse alludes to the 'royal gift of the cubit,' a custom of antiquity in which the forearm of the
priest-king was designated as the unit of measure that would prevail as the harmonizing principle
(Egyptian 'neter') during his reign. The Manifestation, as both man and angel, is the Perfect Man and
the Only Son of God during his Dispensation. He is, therefore, the measure of all things human.
Twice-72 was first introduced in Chapter 7. Among other things, it is another clue to the identity of
the Manifestation, since its archetypal value is 9, the literal value of 'Bahá'' and the Seal of Bahá'u'lláh.
We now see the number connected with the 'wall' that will protect the holy City. The twice-72 'working
arms' are the specially endowed and confirmed souls, the primal points or 'mustard seeds' cast over
the soil of mankind, who will guard, nurture and protect the Heavenly Garden, the new Jerusalem.
Recall that ancient Jewish mystics believed that YHWH had 12-times-6 three-letter names called
the 'Divided Name of YHWH.' {31} Thus, in past Ages, each gate of the invisible zodiac emanated 6
spiritual attributes. Because of the Twin Manifestation, twice-6 attributes are to emanate from each
sign during the Leo-Aquarian Age.

Since the cubit is a 'spiritual measure,' its use is appropriate as a measure of the new Jerusalem. In
astrological symbolism, the 144 cubits measure the spiritual attributes emanating from the heavenly
realm that will enrich, guide and protect the citizens of the holy City.
With the new clue, the number 9 is indicated 7-times in the dimensions of the new Jerusalem. {28}
The dimensions of the new Jerusalem reflect the dimensions of the Bahá'í House of Worship, 'The
Dawning Place of God's Praise.' Several of these highly symbolic structures now exist throughout the
world. Their architectural canon has been enjoined by Bahá'u'lláh as having a dome, nine sides, and
nine doors. It can be shown, again using the circular property of 9, that the following 7 parameters of
these structures each have an archetypal value of 9:

The perimeter of the wall
The area of the wall
The area of the dome
The volume of the dome
The area of the floor
The total area of the exterior
The total enclosed volume

Besides being the literal value of 'Bahá'' and the Seal of Bahá'u'lláh, the 9 symbolizes the highest
unity, being the greatest single digit number. The 9 doors represent the essential unity of man and the
Divinely Revealed Faiths. In ancient number symbolism, 9 is the 'number of finality, judgement, and
the fulfillment of prophecy.' It is also the 'Perfected Triad' (3-times-3).

THE MATERIAL OF THE WALL AND ITS FOUNDATIONS:

And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And
the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first
foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth,
sardonyx; the sixth, beryl; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a
chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. -Rev 21:18-20

The verses allude to Isaiah {32} in which the Bride, now purified and redeemed, is to be married to
the Lord of Hosts, the Holy One of Israel. Her City will have foundations of sapphires, battlements of
red jasper, gates of garnet, and boundary stones of precious jewels.
In the context of Revelation, the stones have physical attributes suggestive of the spiritual attributes
of the Twelve Basic Principles of the Bahá'í Faith. {29}

The material of the wall is jasper, symbolizing the Oneness of the World of Humanity, since it
comes in many colors, but especially red, {33} the color of the heart.
The City is of purest gold, meaning that only purity and heavenly virtues will be found inside.
The first and foremost foundation stone is jasper, symbolic of the principle that Humanity Is
actually One race.
The second foundation stone is sapphire, a stone of truest blue, the color of justice, faith,
inspiration, loyalty and truth. It stands for the principle of the Independent Investigation of Truth.
The third foundation stone is chalcedony, a stone of purest white, reflecting all seven colors (seven
Faiths) equally well. It stands for the principle that all Divinely revealed Faiths Are essentially One,
since their common origin is God, the most manifest of the manifest, and the most hidden of the
hidden.
The fourth foundation stone is emerald, a stone with the green of nature, symbolizing harmony,
unity, immortality and humility. It uniquely harmonizes with every other color, and stands for the
principle that enlightened Religion should and Must Be the Source of Unity.

The fifth foundation stone is sardonyx, a stone of equi-layered red and white. It stands for the
principle of the Equality of Men (red) and Women (white).
The sixth foundation stone is sardius, a stone that changes color depending upon how it is viewed.
The same is true of Science and Religion, and it stands for the principle of their eventual Agreement
and Unity.
The seventh foundation stone is chrysolite, a stone of exquisitely pure green, the color of absolute
sincerity, truthfulness, purity and selflessness. Only when our hearts are pure and free of prejudice and
superstition can our secret thoughts be engraved on the Chrysolite Tablet. The chrysolite stands for the
principle of the Elimination of All Prejudice.
The eighth foundation stone is beryl, a stone of bluish-green, combining the attributes of the
sapphire and the emerald: justice, faith, inspiration, loyalty, truth, harmony, unity and humility. These
attributes established in the hearts of men will permit the Establishment of Universal Peace.
The ninth foundation stone is the golden topaz, the color of the sun. The light of knowledge and the
glory of wisdom will follow when Universal Education is established throughout the world.
The tenth foundation stone is chrysoprasus, of clearest green. It embodies truthfulness, justice,
sincerity and purity. These requisites are necessary for a Spiritual Solution of the Economic Problem.
The eleventh foundation stone is jacinth. Like one form of jasper, it is a clear red, the universal
color, the color of the human heart. The heart of one race can understand the heart of another only
when it can speak the same language. It stands for the principle of an Auxiliary Universal Language.
The twelfth foundation stone is amethyst. Its violet symbolizes spiritual light, reverence, healing,
serenity and poise. The World Parliament of Man must embody these attributes in order to guide
mankind in a world at peace.

THE MATERIAL OF THE GATES:

And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city
was pure gold, as it were transparent glass. -Rev 21:21

Pearl is the stone of innocence. Each gate is made of a single pearl, emphasizing that the innocent
and only the innocent may enter therein. Once inside the City, they will walk on streets of golden
purity.

NO TEMPLE IS NEEDED INSIDE:

And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. -Rev 21:22

[REB: 22 I saw no temple in the city, for its temple was the sovereign Lord God and the Lamb.]

A 'temple' {34} is a place 'cut off.' In ancient times, the temple had separated enclosures with varied
'degrees of holiness.'
In Exodus, {35} God promises to dwell among the Israelites forever, PROVIDED Solomon and his
successors {36} are obedient to His ordinances, precepts and commands. For whatever reason,
Solomon's Temple was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar; Zerubabel's Temple was profaned by Syrians
and Romans; Herod's Temple was destroyed by Titus. Each catastrophe implied to the Jews that they
had become alienated from God.
In the new Jerusalem, Temple worship is no longer needed, since there is to be no place 'cut off'
from the blessings and the light of God. The Bahá'í House of Worship, contrary to commonly held
misconceptions, is not a 'temple,' since it has no priesthood, no ritual, no altar, no pulpit, and no
separated 'degrees of holiness'; it is literally, by name, intent and practice, a 'Dawning Place of God's
Praise.'
The most sacred of Bahá'í institutions is the 'Nineteen Day Feast' that is usually held in private

homes. It consists of three distinct sessions: worship, community business, and social. During the
worship session, the Sacred Writings of the Faith are read and prayers are raised. The community
business session includes plans, reports, letters from the Friends, etc., but is devoid of offering plates
and conspicuous donations. The social session is just that, a time in which the Friends freely mingle,
enjoy conversation and music, and share the delights offered by the host.

NO NEED FOR THE SUN OR MOON:

And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine on it: for the glory of God did lighten
it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of
it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be
shut at all by day; for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the
nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. -Rev
21:23-27

[REB: 23 The city did not need the sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its
lamp was the Lamb.]

The words allude to Isaiah {37}, who also speaks of the Glory of the Lord {38} and the Holy One of
Israel. {40} The new Jerusalem is to be established with their Return from lands far away. {40}
"No sun or moon" means that no priestly hierarchy will be needed in the City. The reason is that
Bahá'u'lláh, the Glory of God, will be its light, and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Lamb, will be its Lamp of
Guidance.
Isaiah tells us something else about this light:

'The moon will shine as brightly as the sun, and the sun with seven times its wonted brightness, like
seven days' light in one ....'- REB: Isaiah 30:26

The Moon of 'Abdu'l-Bahá will shine as brightly as the Sun of Bahá'u'lláh. The Sun of Truth will
shine as brightly as seven former Days of Creation.
In verse 23 the name of Bahá'u'lláh is given for the third and final time in the Apocalypse. John
follows the ancient canon of repeating the name three-times to emphasize his supreme station.{41}
The notion that 'thrice' implies the best or greatest has extremely ancient roots. Greek 'trismegistos' =
'thrice greatest.'; Latin 'ter felix' = 'thrice-happy' or 'happiest.'
The practice of repeating three-times was, and still is used to emphasize a prayer or sacred ritual.
The formula was adapted by practitioners of the occult arts in carrying out their rituals and
incantations. ('Third time's a charm!') Samuel Taylor Coleridge employed it in his masterpiece KUBLA
KHAN, the closing lines of which seem to presage the Advent of Bahá'u'lláh:

And all should cry, Beware! Beware!
His flashing eyes, his floating hair!
Weave a circle round him thrice,
And close your eyes with holy dread,
For he on honey-dew hath fed,
And drunk the milk of paradise.

A 'Night' is the period between two Divine Manifestations when the Sun of Truth is not manifest
among men.{42} In every past Dispensation there has been such a period. But Bahá'u'lláh's unique
Dispensation is the 'King of Days,' the 'Day not followed by Night.' Thus in verse 25 we find that there
is to be "no night" in the new Jerusalem.

CHAPTER 22 - EPILOGUE ↩

This, the final chapter of the Apocalypse, is an epilogue and conclusion.
John sees the 'water of life' flowing from the Throne of Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, the Lamb, just
as promised by Zechariah. On either side of the river, John sees the 'tree of life,' the Twin
Manifestation, the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh. The 'fruits' from the Twin Trees are the blessings that flow
from the 12 Basic Principles on which the Sacred City is founded. The ancient curse that caused the
destruction of the physical city of Jerusalem in past Ages will have been overcome, because the new
Jerusalem is to be a spiritual City, not prone to the capricious forces of worldly history. Its citizens will
be able to converse 'face-to-face' with God, just as Moses had done. The name of God will be retained
in the 'foreheads' of their minds, not in physical talismans or phylacteries.
The Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh will be the 'Day not followed by Night.'
God promises that He is 'coming soon,' that He will become Manifest in the very next Age, and that
the prophesied events revealed to John are to commence in the very near future. Bahá'u'lláh, the Alpha
and the Omega, will come quickly bringing deliverance and redemption.
The chapter ends with farewells and warnings. Jesus reminds us that he is an offshoot from David,
not of the direct line of kings.
Finally, John curses anyone who tampers with the written text of the Apocalypse.
The last word in the Apocalypse is "Amen,"which has a literal value of 99 and an archetypal value of
9, the Seal of Bahá'u'lláh.

[Several voices are heard. The King James Version (KJV) does not include closed quotes, and the
Revised English Bible (REB) is employed for determining the probable voices.]

Verses 1 through 5 are spoken by John.

THE RIVER OF LIFE:

And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as a crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God
and the Lamb. -Rev 22:1

[REB: 1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the
throne of God and of the Lamb]

The verse alludes to:

"On that day, whether in summer or in winter, running water will issue from Jerusalem, half flowing to
the eastern sea and half to the western sea." -REB: Zechariah 14:8

The new Jerusalem will be the source of spiritual inspiration and guidance for all peoples, whether
in the East or in the West. "We have caused the rivers of Divine utterance to proceed out of Our throne,
that the tender herbs of wisdom and understanding may spring forth from the soil of your hearts." -BH
{1}

THE TWIN HOLY TREES:

In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare
twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the
healing of the nations. -Rev 22:2

[REB: 2 down the middle of the city's street. On either side of the river stood a tree of life, ...]

The two 'trees of life' are the Twin Holy Trees, the Bab and Bahá'u'lláh. The 'twelve manner of fruits'
are the blessings flowing from the Laws and Principles that are the twelve foundation stones upon
which the City is founded.

NO MORE CURSE:

And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants
shall serve him: -Rev 22:3

[REB: 3 Every accursed thing shall disappear. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his
servants shall worship him;]

The authority of Bahá'u'lláh, the Bab and 'Abdu'l-Bahá will reside in the new Jerusalem. The only
true God will be worshipped there, whose power will be manifested in the Universal House of Justice,
sitting on God's 'holy mountain.' 'No more curse' may allude to:

"Jerusalem will be inhabited, and never again will a ban for her destruction be laid on her; all will live
there in security." - REB: Zechariah 14:11

THEY SHALL SEE HIS FACE:

And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. -Rev 22:4

To 'see his face' is an allusion to the event in Exodus {2} in which Moses is permitted to converse
with Jehovah face-to-face.
Bahá'u'lláh is the Manifestation of Jehovah, and is the One who spoke with Moses on Sinai. Thus, in
the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh we are permitted to see the 'face' of the Voice From the Burning Bush.
'In their foreheads' alludes to Revelation 14:1 in which we are told that the twice-72 multitudes of
specially endowed working arms will have the name of the Father (Bahá'u'lláh) of the Lamb ('Abdu'l-
Bahá) written in their foreheads. {3}

NO NIGHT:

And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God
giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. -Rev 22:5

Again we are reminded that the Dispensation of Bahá'u'lláh is the 'Day not followed by Night.' The
citizens of the new Jerusalem will not need the services of a church or a priestly hierarchy to guide
them, since they will receive their spiritual light and guidance directly from God through His
Manifestation.

THE LORD GOD PROMISES TO COME QUICKLY:

And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent
his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. 7 Behold, I come quickly:
blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. -Rev 22:6-7

[REB: 6 He said to me, 'These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord God who inspires the
prophets has sent his angel to show his servants what soon must take place. 7 And remember, I am
coming soon!' Happy is the man who takes to heart the words of prophecy contained in this book!]

The quote is by the plague angel who spoke to John in 21:9, 15 & 22:1. He reminds John that it is
the Lord God who has inspired the holy prophets and Manifestations of the past, and will do so for all
the Ages to come. When the plague angel speaks the words "I am coming soon!", he is speaking as the
Messenger of God, Who reassures John that God will manifest Himself very soon. Indeed, He did so in
the human Temple of Muhammad about five centuries after the Revelation.

DON'T WORSHIP THE MESSENGER!

And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship
before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. 9 Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not:
for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of
this book: worship God. -Rev 22:8-9

[REB: 8 It was I, John, who heard and saw these things. When I had heard them, I prostrated myself
to worship the angel who had shown them to me. 9 But he said, 'You must not do that! I am a fellowservant with you and your brothers the prophets and with those who take to heart the words of this
book. It is God you must worship.']

Once again, John is warned against worshipping the Messenger instead of the Originator of the
Message. When a Divine Messenger speaks in the first person FOR God, this does not equate him
WITH God. Christians are especially prone to this error, although the devotees of all Divinely revealed
Faiths commit the fallacy to various degrees. {4}

And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. -Rev
22:10

The Apocalypse is a prophecy of events that will commence very shortly. Indeed, the first great
persecution of Christians prophesied in 8:7-9 began less than a decade after the Revelation to John,
but the Advent of Bahá'u'lláh would not occur until after another eighteen lunar centuries. {5}

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is
righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. -Rev 22:11

The verse reminds us of the prophecy of Daniel:

"Many will purify themselves and be refined, making themselves shining white, but the wicked will
continue in wickedness and none of them will understand: only the wise leaders will understand."
-REB: Daniel 12:10

THE ALPHA AND OMEGA GIVES A FAREWELL AND A PROMISE:

And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall
be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. -Rev 22:12

[REB: 12 'I am coming soon, and bringing with me my recompense to repay everyone according to
what he has done! 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.']

Spoken by the plague angel for Bahá'u'lláh. The 'reward' alludes to:

"This is the Lord's [Jehovah's] proclamation to earth's farthest bounds: Tell the daughter of Zion 'See,

your deliverance comes. His reward is with him, his recompense before him.' " -REB: Isaiah 62:11

The title 'the Alpha and the Omega' is equated with the 'first and the last' {8} and 'the beginning and
the end.'
'The Alpha and the Omega' is unique to the Apocalypse. It occurs a total of three-times in modern
translations {6}, as does the title 'the Glory of God.' Its uniqueness suggests that its numerology should
be investigated. Doing so reveals that it has an archetypal value of 9, the literal value of Bahá' and the
Seal of Bahá'u'lláh.
The title 'the first and the last' occurs in Isaiah {7} where it is equated with (REB) 'the Lord
[Jehovah], Israel's King, the Lord of Hosts, his Redeemer.' Isaiah also declares that error-free
prophecy is one proof of the validity of Divine inspiration.

THE SAVED AND THE DAMNED:

Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter
in through the gates of the city. -Rev 22:14

[REB: 14 Happy are those who wash their robes clean! They shall be free to eat from the tree of life ...]

The Tree of Life is the Manifestation of God. "Through His potency the Trees of Divine Revelation
have yielded their fruits, every one of which hath been sent down in the form of a Prophet, bearing a
Message to God's creatures in each of the worlds whose number God alone, in His all-encompassing
knowledge, can reckon." -BH {10}

For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever
loveth and maketh a lie. -Rev 22:15

Spoken by John. This list of the damned should be compared to that of 21:8. Apparently 'dogs'
include the fearful, the unbelieving, and the abominable.

"Do not give dogs what is holy; do not throw your pearls to pigs: they will only trample on them, and
turn and tear you to pieces." -REB: Matt 7:6

JESUS BIDS FAREWELL:

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the
offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. -Rev 22:16

[REB: 16 'I, Jesus, have sent my angel to you with this testimony for the churches. I am the offspring of
David, the shoot growing from his stock, the bright star of dawn.']

Probably spoken by the first angel (verse 1:1). His testimony is to the Seven Churches of Asia. Jesus
affirms that he is the 'root' of David, that is, the 'Ancient Root,' and therefore is a Manifestation of God.
In addition, he claims to be the 'offspring of David,' though apparently not of the direct line of historic
kings. Jesus also claims to be the 'bright star of dawn,' that is, the 'Herald' of a new day of God. {11}
It is noteworthy that, once again, Jesus fails to claim the WORLDLY Throne of David, although
many of his devotees must have considered him eligible for that position. Indeed, we now know the
reason why Jesus did not claim the Worldly Throne of David. The fact that he was an 'offspring of
David' automatically interdicted any claim that he might have had to that Throne. {16} But being an
'offspring of David' did not preclude his being the Messiah sitting on a SPIRITUAL Throne. Recall

...... [Pilate asks] 'So you are the king of the Jews?'.... Jesus replied, 'My kingdom does not belong to
this world. If it did, my followers would be fighting to save me from the clutches of the Jews. My
kingdom belongs elsewhere.' -REB: John 18:33-36

[The New International Version begins a new paragraph at this point.]

JOHN'S CURSE:

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst,
come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. 18 For I testify unto every man that
heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add
unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy
city, and from the things which are written in this book. - Rev 22:17-18

[REB: 18 I, John, give this warning to everyone who is listening to the words of prophecy in this book:
if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book; 19 if anyone takes away
from the words in this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and
in the Holy City, which are described in this book.]

Perhaps Jesus should have had the last word at verse 16, but John addends a curse on those who
would corrupt the text of the Apocalypse. It is noteworthy that John would have felt the need to do so,
and it implies that corruption of the Word was not a rare occurrence in the early Christian Church.
Indeed, corruption of the Word created the great whore of Babylon that has plagued Christendom
during the Piscean Age, whose offspring is the mayhem that we now observe among the thousands of
Christian sects. As archaeologists and antiquarians discover more pristine versions of Sacred Texts,
the extent to which corruption has taken place will become more evident. One proven case is the
Gospel of Mark. Although it is considered by biblical scholars to be the most reliable of the Gospels,
nevertheless it is known to have had about twelve-and-a-half verses addended, and there may have
been other alterations. The corruption of the Sacred Texts resulted in several hundred years of trialand-error before a canon of New Testament works could be accepted by a significant body of
Christians, and even today the debate goes on.
It is always tempting to a scribe or a translator to alter or add a word, a phrase or a verse to bring it
more in line with his own concepts or those of humanly limited theologians and commentators. At
other times, alterations may be accidental or even unconscious. It is probably because the Apocalypse
is so cryptic that it has remained relatively free of such distortions. Candidly, no one knew where or
how to alter the text. {12}
Most of the alterations of the text of the Apocalypse are relatively benign, but there is one
significant exception. An early version of the Apocalypse altered the number of the beast of the
Apocalypse from 666 to 616, apparently to make the value equal to that of 'Nero Caesar,' {13} a blue
ribbon villain that many early Christians considered to be the anti-Christ.

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus. -Rev
22:20

[REB: 20 He who gives this testimony says: 'Yes, I am coming soon!' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!]

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be unto you all. Amen. -Rev 22:21

If not with Jesus' testimony at verse 16, the Revelation should certainly have ended with John's
curse, but part of verse 20 and all of 21 seem to have been addended. {14} The addendum reflects the

ardent hope among the early Christians that Jesus would return in the flesh to establish the Kingdom
of God during their own lifetimes.
It is here that another great secret of the Apocalypse becomes evident! The last word of the
Apocalypse is 'Amen,' whether or not we decide that the Apocalypse has been addended after John's
curse. At several places in the Apocalypse we have been advised to consider 'the Alpha and the Omega.'
Finally, at 22:13 we are advised to look at the 'beginning and the end, the first and the last.' And what
are the first and last words of the Apocalypse? The first word is 'Apocalypse,' the last word is 'Amen.'
The first word 'Apocalypse' has a literal value of 1512 which has an archetypal value of 9. The last
word 'Amen' has a literal value of 99, which also has an archetypal value of 9.
'The Alpha and the Omega' appears three or four times, depending upon the version. {15} The
expression has either the value 801 or 1332, also depending upon the version. In all cases, the
archetypal value is 9, the number of Bahá' and the Seal of Bahá'u'lláh!

APPENDIX A: SOME NUMBER SYMBOLISM ↩

This Appendix describes some numerological discoveries. Surely many more remain to be
discovered. The definitions of terms used can be found in the INTRODUCTION.

SOME SUBJECTS THAT HAVE AN ARCHETYPAL VALUE OF NINE:

SUBJECT = LITERAL VALUE = ARCHETYPAL VALUE; [WHERE FOUND]

Greek Words and Phrases:

Apocalypse (First word) = 1512 = 9; [Title, 1:1]
Amen (Last word= 22:20 or 22:21) = 99 = 9; [1:6, 1:7, 1:18, 3:14, 5:14, 7:12, 7:12, 19:4, 22:20,
22:21(?)]
'Alpha + Omega' ('First and Last') = 801 = 9; [1:8, 1:11(?), 21:6; 22:13]
'Alpha (spelled out {1}) + Omega' = 1332 (twice-666) = 9
'Faithful and True' (name) = 1269 = 9; [19:11]
'The Word of God' (name) = 927 = 9; [19:13]
Glory (Greek for 'Kabowd') = 135 = 9; [4:9, 4:11, 14:7, 15:4, 16:9, 19:1]
'New Name' = 432 = 9; [2:17, 3:12]
Jerusalem = 864 (twice-432) = 9; [3:12, 21:2, 21:10]
'The Glory of God of Israel' = 1746 = 9; [Ezekiel 8:4, 9:3, 10:19, 11:22, 43:2]
'A grain of mustard seed' = 1746 = 9; [Mat 13:31, 17:20; Mark 4:31; Luke 13:19, 17:6]

Numbers:

666 (a sacred number!) = 666 = 9; [13:18]
144 (twice-72) = 144 = 9; [21:17]
144,000 = 144,000 = 9; [7:4, 14:1, 14:3]
1260 (3 1/2 'times') = 1260 = 9; [11:2, 11:3, 11:9, 11:11, 12:6, 12:14, 13:5]

Items:

Fishes in the net = 153 = 9; [John 21:11]
Stanzas in THE HIDDEN WORDS = 153 = 9
Parameters of the New Jerusalem = (various) = seven cases of 9 [21:16, 21:17]

Other:

The Almighty (Pantocrator) appears 9 times; [1:8, 4:8, 11:17, 15:3, 16:7, 16:14, 19:6, 19:15, 21:22]

SOME OTHER INTERESTING VALUES:

Glory of God (Greek) = 1389 = 3; [15:8, 21:11, 21:23]
Bahá'u'lláh (Arabic) = 75 = 3
'Nine' (Greek word) = 111 = 3
Messiah (Hebrew) = 358 = 7; [Dan 9:25, 9:26]
'Shiloh Come' (Hebrew) = 358 = 7; [Gen 49:10]
Jesus (Greek) = 888 = 6; [14:12, 17:6, 19:10, 19:10, 20:4, 22:16, 22:20(?)]
Christ (Greek) = 1480 = 4; [11:15, 12.10, 20.4, 20.6]
Jesus Christ (Greek) = 2368 = 1; [1:1, 1:2, 1:5, 1:9, 12:17, 22:21(?)]
Last sentence of Chapter 13 = 2368 = 1; [13:18]
Son of Man (Greek) = 2260 = 1; [1:13, 14:14]
Son of God (Greek) = 1934 = 8; [2:18]

TRIANGULAR VALUES:

The name 'Bahá'' is an Arabic word spelled Be, ha, alif, hamza (BHA'). The numerical values of the
letters are 2, 5, 1, 1 {2}. Thus the literal value of Bahá' is 9. The triangular value of 9 is 45, the same as
the literal value of 'Adam.' The word 'Bab' is spelled Be, alif, beh (BAB), which has a literal value of 5.
The triangular value of 5 is 15, the same as the literal value of 'Eve.' Thus the two traditional names
Adam and Eve, God's first two spiritual creations, are linked with the Twin Manifestation whose
appearance was promised at the Last Day.

KLIMA:

It seems appropriate to apply klima as we did for YHWH. Expanding the word 'BAB' by klima:

B Sum = 2
BA Sum = 3
BAB Sum = 5

produces a total of (2 + 3 + 5) = 10, the value of the Y (Yod), the first letter in YHWH. The literal
value of BAB, being 5, equals the value of the H (Hay), the last letter in YHWH. Thus the word
'BAB', which literally means 'the Gate,' is an expression of the 'first and the last.'

Expanding 'BHA'':

B Sum = 2
BH Sum = 7
BHA Sum = 8
BHA' Sum = 9

The sum of (2 + 7 + 8 + 9) is 26, the literal value of YHWH. Thus we find the occult connection
between BHA' and YHWH.

The word Bahá' (BHA') is loosely translated into English as 'Glory.' More accurately, it is equivalent

to the Hebrew word 'Kabowd,' a 'palpable manifestation.' The word 'Kabowd' is translated into
Greek (again loosely) as 'Doxa.' We have noted several occult uses of the words 'Kabowd' and 'Doxa'
in the Bible.
Jewish mystics knew the significance of the letters 'B' and 'H.' They attached much importance to
them and wrote commentaries about these letters.
There is a Jewish legend that says that Solomon's Seal, considered a powerful talisman by the
ancients, carried the Greatest Name, possibly the 'Kabowd' of 'El'.
In the Buddhist Scriptures, the word 'BHA' occasionally appears, occultly disjointed from the
adjacent Sanskrit Text.

NOTES ↩

NOTES TO INTRODUCTION

{1} BAHA'I SCRIPTURES, Sect 92.

{2} The 'Quadratura Circuli.' See Carl Jung, PSYCHOLOGY AND RELIGION

{3} The four elements + ether. See Ecclesiasticus 17:5.

{4} Appel and Haken, THE SOLUTION OF THE FOUR-COLOR-MAP PROBLEM, Scientific
American, Oct, 1977

{5} Aristotle, DE CAEOLO

{6} Gen 7:2-3

{7} Gen 29

{8} 1 Sam 6:1

{9} Jer 25:11, 2910

{10} See Ps 90:4

NOTES TO CHAPTER 1

{1} The 'Prophetic Cycle' began with the Dispensation of the Prophet Adam and ended with the
Dispensation of Muhammad, the 'Seal of the Prophets.' The Advent of the Bab closed the Prophetic
Cycle and opened the Age of Fulfillment. The 'Bahá'í Cycle' initiated by Bahá'u'lláh will consist of
numerous Ages spanning a period of, perhaps, 500-thousand- years.

{2} From a letter written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, Aug 7,
1978. 'The Master' was a title bestowed by Bahá'u'lláh, upon his son, 'Abdu'l- Bahá.

{3} See Romans 1:2

{4} Matthew 8:22

{5} GWB, p 101

{6} Matt 13:14-19, 24:15; John 9:39; Acts 28:26-27; Cf. Is 6:9-10

{7} BOC, pp 192-6

{8} Isaiah 60:1-3; Luke 17:22-25

{9} TTJ; PT, p 51; SAQ, p 254; WAB, p 13; GPB, p 95

{10} GPB, p 95

{11} Isaiah 44:6

{12} Is 41:4, 14, 44:6, 47:4, 48:12, 59:19-21; Ps 24:7-10; Job 19:25; Jer 23:5-8. Cf. GPB, pp 93-99

{13} GWB, p 168

{14} In the original version of THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED, I chose Justice as the symbolism of
Parchment, and Harmony as the symbolism of Just People. Either way works, since Law is usually
associated with Justice, and Justice is essential for generating Harmony.

{15} 'Thya' means a sandarac tree, a close relative of the cypress. The candle-shaped cypress was the
emblem of Ormazd and Zoroaster. Ormazd was the name given to the God of Goodness and
Spiritual Light.

{16} H. Smith, THE RELIGIONS OF MAN, is a popular treatment.

{17} WOB p 104

{18} WOB, p 104; GPB, p 169. As was the custom in that region, Bahá'u'lláh had dyed his hair and
beard a jet black before his interview with Prof E.G. Browne in 1890. See Ustad Muhammad-'Aliy-i
Salmani, (tr. Marzieh Gail), MY MEMORIES OF BAHA'U'LLAH, Kalimat Press, Los Angeles, 1982;
H.M. Balyuzi, BAHA'U'LLAH, THE KING OF GLORY, George Ronald, Oxford, 1980, p.240

{19} Dan 2:32

{20} GWB, p 167

{21} Daniel 7:9, 13-14

{22} GWB, p 296

{23} GWB, p 104

{24} GWB pp 45, 183; WOB, p.104

NOTES TO CHAPTER 2

{1} GWB, pp 179, 185

{2} WOB, p 115}

{3} Possibly mentioned in Acts 6:5.

{4} Cf. Gen 2

{5} The difficulties for Israel ensuing from the worship of Baal are recorded in 1st and 2nd Kings.

{6} GWB, p 195

{7} 'Thyine' means 'fragrant.' Cf. Rev 18:12 in KJV.

{8} The subject is further elucidated in Romans 1:3-4 and Hebrews 1:4-6.

{9} GWB, p 325.

{10} TAB, pp 92-4

NOTES TO CHAPTER 3

{1} GWB pp 332, 323.

{2} GWB, p 132

{3} BOL; GWB, pp 269-270.

{4} That is, (8 + 6 + 4) = 18. Continuing, (1 + 8) = 9. Note that 432 is just one-half of 864.

{5} In THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED, I proposed that Bahá'u'lláh was the one who "stands at the
door and knocks." In revisiting the matter, it seems more likely, in the context of previous verses,
that it is Muhammad.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 4

{1} Every astrological age actually has a double name, e.g. ARIES-Libra and AQUARIUS-Leo. The
double name comes from the names of the stellar constellations or 'signs' where the sun rises at both
the SPRING and Fall seasons of the year. This should become clearer in later verses. See the
INTRODUCTION. I recommend de Santillana et al, HAMLET'S MILL.

{2} SAQ, pp 284-6

{3} With very little search, I found these twelves in less exalted circles: 12 Olympian deities, 12
Titans, 12 knights of King Arthur's round table, 12 merry men of Robin Hood, and 12 Caesars in the
canon of Seutonius. I'm sure that the list is quite extensive.

{4} What are the names of the 24 Elders seated around the throne of Bahá'u'lláh? I have been able to

locate only 20 that are authenticated: the Bab, the 18 Letters of the Living, and Haji Mirza
Muhammad-Taqi. The names of the other 4 may be laying undiscovered in the Bahá'í archives, or
may require a decision by the Universal House of Justice. In the meantime, I personally consider
these exalted names as probable: Mirza Mihdi (the Purest Branch), 'Abdu'l-Bahá' (the Servant of
Bahá'), Shoghi Effendi (the Guardian), and Bahiyyih Khanum (the Greatest Holy Leaf).

{5} AB, SAQ, p 71

{6} GWB, p 104

{7} BH: TAF. See commentary after Rev 1:12.

{8} BOC, pp 100, 103; GWB, p 258

NOTES TO CHAPTER 5

{1} The REB is at variance with the KJV and the NIV. The REB reads: 'Do not weep; for the Lion
from the tribe of Judah, the shoot growing from David's stock, has won the right to open the scroll
and break its seven seals.' The word in KJV v. 5 is actually Greek 'Rhiza', a 'Root.'

{2} Ez 19:4

{3} 2 Kings 25:7

{4} The line of David is given in Ruth 4:18. Bahá'u'lláh is descended from Abraham through his
third wife Keturah.

{5} 2 Kings 21:2-7. The Ark of the Covenant disappeared at about the same time. See Graham
Hancock, THE SIGN AND THE SEAL.

{6} Jer 15:4, 36:30. The genetic root of David is given in Ruth 4:18-20. His throne was passed down
from son to son until Jehoiakim. But by the dictum of the prophet Jeremiah, the reign of
Jehoiakim's son was aborted. Instead, his brother Mattaniah-Zedekiah was appointed king by
Nebuchadnezzar. (2 Kings 24:17) Even this branch was terminated by Nebuchadnezzar. (2 Kings
25:7) Apparently, with the demise of Jehoiakim, there were no further legitimate claimants to the
worldly Throne of David from the direct line of David.

{7} Ps (REB) 132:17

{8} Matthew 22:42-45; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41. Jesus is referring to Psalm 110.

{9} in TTJ; PDC, pp 78-79; GPB, p 230

{10} 1 Sam 16:1; Heb 5:4-5, 7:3, 15. Also see Is 11; Is 63:10; Zech 12:7.

{11} John 18:36

{12} Gen 49:10

{13} See Rev 4:1

{14} The word 'Edom' means 'Red.' When Bahá'u'llah was later exiled to the Holy Land, the region of
Edom was a part of 'Transjordan,' literally, 'the land beyond the Jordan river.' Basrah is a city in
modern Iraq.

{15} To be explained in a later chapter.

{16} See INTRODUCTION.

{17} The Bab also plays a special role in the Book of Daniel, as can be seen by a careful reading of
Daniel 10. This chapter of Daniel and others is discussed in I, DANIEL.

{18} BOC, p 164

{19} GWB, pp 244-5

{20} E.g., BOL and CB. See GPB, pp 239, 242.

{21} Genesis 2:9. In WOB, p 135, Bahá'u'lláh refers to 'Abdu'l- Bahá as the Branch from the
Sadratu'l-Muntaha. In BOL, see paragraphs 100, 148, and Notes 128, 164.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 6

{1} Ps 114:7; 1 Chron 16:29-34; Joel 3:16; Amos 8:8; Is 13:13, 14:16; Hag 2:6-7; Heb 12:26-27

{2} Amos 8:9; Is 13:10, 60:19-20, 14:12; Ezek 32:7-8; Job 38:7; Num 24:17; Joel 2:31, 3:15; Acts
2:20; Jude 1:13; Matt 24:29; Obad 1:4; Gen 37:9-11

{3} Is 34:4; Matt 24:29-30

{4} Ps 114:4; Is 14:25-26, 2:2-3, 40:4, 65:23-25; Jer 48:8; Micah 1:3-4; Luke 23:30; 3:4-5; Dan 2;
John 4:21

{5} Ps 18:2; Deut 32:4, 30, 31

{6} BOC, pp 33-34, 36, 37, 38, 41

{7} GWB, pp 44-45

NOTES TO CHAPTER 7

{1} GWB, p 68

{2} GWB, p 68

{3} GWB, pp 331, 198, 218

{4} Gen 49. See Introduction.

{5} I.e., (1 + 4 + 4) = 9

{6} Rev 4:4

{7} Numbers 11:25-26

{8} See Introduction.

{9} See Introduction.

{10} See Martin Gardner, THE COLORING OF UNUSUAL MAPS LEADS INTO UNCHARTED
TERRITORY; also Appel and Haken, THE SOLUTION OF THE FOUR-COLOR-MAP PROBLEM.

{11} Gen 49. See Introduction.

{12} The history of the zodiac is obscure, but it seems likely that Gemini was originally the first sign
of the zodiac. If so, the zodiac was devised at least four astrological Ages ago, circa 6-millennia BCE.
Some astrologers have suggested that the Cain-Abel myth may have been created during the Age of
Gemini. An interesting theory! Then perhaps Cain was the star that announced the harvesting
season (Genesis 4:3) and 'murdered' his brother when the Precession caused him to replace Abel,
the star that announced the sheep birthing season (4:4). But, eventually, the Precession also caused
Cain to lose his position in the sky (4:11). Thereafter, Cain became a 'wanderer' or 'planet' (4:13), no
longer indicative of either the harvesting or the birthing season. His star was forced 'east of Eden'
(4:16) during the Age of Taurus.

{13} Matt 19:28; Luke 22:30

{14} Rev 21:14

{15} Luke 6:12

{16} Mark 3:17

{17} John (REB) 13:21-30

{18} GWB, pp. 169, 213

{19} GWB, p. 189

{20} PMB, pp. 83-4

{21} Zech 11:7-14 (REB): "So I became a shepherd to the flock destined to be slaughtered by the
dealers. ... I had lost patience with the flock and they had come to abhor me... 'I shall not be a
shepherd to you any more..' I took my staff called Favor and snapped it in two, annulling the
covenant which the Lord had made with all nations ... . Then they weighed out my wages, thirty
pieces of silver... Then I broke in two my second staff called Union, annulling the brotherhood
between Judah and Israel. " Curiously, Bahá'u'lláh was born on November 12, 1817. By
conventional pre-Piscean astrology, Bahá'u'lláh would have been born under the sign of Scorpio. But
by the new astrology of the Apocalypse, Bahá'u'lláh was born under the sign of Flying Eagle.

{22} See Nabil's Narrative (THE DAWN-BREAKERS).

{23} See Lady Blomfield, THE CHOSEN HIGHWAY.

{24} Another proof can be found in THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED, Figure 16. Gad-Asher
(ARIES-LIBRA) may represent the heroic age of Israel. See 1 Chronicles 7:40 and 12:14.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 8

{1} GWB, p 316

{2} SAQ, p 71

{3} Christians were also under attack from the Jews during the persecutions by Rome. Probably in
response to Jesus' warning (Matt 24:15-6), at the sight of Titus' army coming to take Jerusalem in
70 CE, the Christians in and around Jerusalem fled across the Jordan river to Pella. This act of
seeming desertion angered the surviving Jews, who, after the Fall of Jerusalem, carried out a
campaign of terror against the Christians. The Christians responded in kind, and this internecine
struggle lasted until Caliph Umar I conquered Jerusalem in 637.

{4} SAQ, p 66

{5} GWB, pp 21, 41

{6} The Bab: SWB, p 129 fn

NOTES TO CHAPTER 9

{1} The Sunni caliphate was abolished in 1924 in the wake of the successful revolution in Turkey
under Kemel Ataturk. The date of the destruction of the caliphate was 27 sabbatic years after the
Crucifixion. A 'sabbatic year' = 7-decades. I place the date of the Crucifixion at 34 CE in accord with
the prophecy in Daniel 9:26.

{2} SAQ, p 60

{3} GWB, p 43

{4} Qur'an: 42:11, 46:11, 73:15

{5} at 3:10.

{6} at 11:13 and 14:7.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 10

{1} Rev 1:7, 4:3, 1:16

{2} 1 Kings 7:21; 2 Chron 3:15

{3} Exod 13:21

{4} Ruth 4:21

{5} Is 11:1, 10

{6} I.e., (7 + 2) = 9

NOTES TO CHAPTER 11

{1} Most of what follows is explained by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in SAQ, Chapter 11.

{2} 'AH' means 'After the Hegira,' the starting point of the Muslim calendar. The Hegira occurred in
622 CE. A lunar year is 354.367 days long. There are 1.03069 lunar years in a solar year of 365.242
days.

{3} Exodus 7

{4} Ex 9:33

{5} Ex 4:9

{6} Ex 4:21

{7} 'Kyrios' was His most popular title, implying that many early believers considered Jesus to be a
mystery deity. See Rudolf Bultmann, PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY IN ITS CONTEMPORARY
SETTING.

{8} Is 45:1

{9} PMB, p 68. See also PUP, p 444.

{10} Some believe that the physical Ark is preserved in a sanctuary at Axum, Ethiopia. See Graham
Hancock, THE SIGN AND THE SEAL.

{11} Dan 10:13, 21, 12:1; Rev 12:7

{12} See Chapter 1, Note 1.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 12

{1} Much of this chapter has been explained by 'Abdu'l-Bahá in SAQ, Chapter 13.

{2} REB: Gen 49:17

{3} Dan 12:1

{4} Dan 7:25 and 12:7. This is just one-half of the 7 'times' specified in Daniel 4:23. The starting
point of the 7 times is discovered by correlating Daniel 2:1 with 4:29. The result is 3 years after
Nebuchadnezzar came to power. This becomes 3 years after the year 605 BCE, or 602 BCE.

Seven times are 2520 lunar years, or 2445 solar years. Accounting for the fact that there is no zeroth

year in the common calendar, the seven times brings us to (2445 - 602 + 1) = 1844 CE. The Book of
Daniel deals primarily with the first half of the 7 times; the Apocalypse deals primarily with the
second half.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 13

{1} Commemorated in the fable ARABIAN NIGHTS.

{2} Dan 7

{3} See Dan 4:30.

{4} 'Abdu'l-Bahá is the 'Branch' of Isaiah 11:1 (KJV).

{5} 'The Sultan' means 'The Sovereign.'

{6} The 'Abbasids ended their career controlling only the dominion surrounding Baghdad,
approximately the region of ancient Babylonia.

{7} Jesus is said to have been born at One AD, not Zero AD.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 14

{1} GPB, p 243

{2} GWB, p 13

{3} WOB, pp 103-104; GPB, pp 94-96

{4} WOB, p 111

{5} The archetypal value of 144 'thousands' is 9. That is: (1 + 4 + 4 + 0 + 0 + 0) = 9.

{6} At this point, it is worthwhile to consider the angels who deliver the various messages to John.
Recall that 'Abdu'l-Bahá has informed us that there are many meanings to each word of the
Apocalypse. In my opinion, there are meanings latent in the numbers, messages, and ordering of the
angels beyond those already discerned. In the case of the six angels who are presented in this
chapter, it seems to me that they probably represent the Mediators who prophesied the coming of
Bahá'u'lláh, the Divine Reaper. These were Krishna, Zoroaster, Gautama Buddha, Jesus and
Muhammad. The Bab is a sixth Mediator who is a part of that Judgement, and who also warned us
of the Advent of "One Whom God will make Manifest," Bahá'u'lláh. Three mediating angels have
already appeared in this chapter. At verse 6 we find an angel preaching the 'everlasting gospel,' while
at verse 8, we find one announcing the fall of the 'city' of the corrupted Word of God. The clues are
scanty, and the conclusions correspondingly tenuous, but the wording of the two verses indicate to
me that the first angel is probably Lord Krishna, who preached extensively of recurring Avatars,
while the second angel probably represents the Great Reformer, Lord Buddha. In verses 9-11 the
clues are more ample. Chapters 11, 12, and 13 offer extensive and credible evidence that the third
angel is probably Muhammad.

{7} Genesis 11:9

{8} BOC, pp 84-90

{9} GWB, pp 14, 40-42; BOC, pp 76-77

{10} TSV, pp 4, 36-37

{11} and RSV: Daniel 7:13. (The REB translates Dan 7:13 and Rev 1:13 as 'one like a human being.')
In the RSV Daniel, the one like the Son of Man is introduced to the Ancient of Days; but the Ancient
of Days has characteristics resembling the one like the Son of Man in Rev 11:13! The seeming
paradox can be resolved by the concept of different spiritual worlds as revealed by Bahá'u'lláh in his
TABLET OF ALL FOOD. Daniel is witnessing the world of Lahut; John is witnessing the world of
Jabarut.

{12} Without spirituality, man has no meaningful history. A human world totally devoid of
spirituality would decay to the level of the brute, and history would cease.

{13} Matt 21:33-41

{14} Matthew 16:27

{15} In WOB, p 104, Bahá'u'lláh speaks with the VOICE of the Son of Man; this Tablet could be
interpreted as meaning that He does not actually claim the title, but does claim the 'voice.'

{16} Is 11

{17} In THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED, I suggested that the altar angel was probably Jesus Christ.
The whole subject of the identities and symbolism of the various angels in the Apocalypse deserves
more study by some enterprising scholar.

{18} That is, (1 + 6 + 0 + 0) equals 7.

{19} Micah 4:10; Ez 1:1, 28, 43:1-4; Zec 4. Cf. Ezra 5:2 & Zech 4:9. [The river Chebar or Kabar
empties into the Euphrates at Babylon. 'Zerubabel' means 'Banished in Babylon.']

NOTES TO CHAPTER 15

{1} GWB, p 270

{2} Isaiah 11

{3} The Ka'bih at Mecca is also a tent in the shape of a perfect cube. Plato in his TIMAEUS ascribed
a cubical shape to the 'element earth.' The 4 fabrics of the Tabernacle and the priestly garment may
have symbolized the 4 elements of fire, air, earth and water (Muller, HISTORY OF JEWISH
MYSTICISM, p 14). In his TOPIGRAPHICA CHRISTIANA, the 6th century monk Cosmas likened
the earth to the Tabernacle except on a greatly enlarged scale; the ground corresponded to the floor,
the sky to its walls and ceiling.

{4} GWB, pp 47, 311

{5} BOC, p 76

{6} Also 1 Kings 8:11

NOTES TO CHAPTER 16

{1} E.g., Lord Curzon, PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN QUESTION.

{2} The Civilizing Hero is called the 'God incarnate in man' by Arnold J. Toynbee and the 'Hero with
a thousand faces' by Joseph Campbell.

{3} GWB, pp 151, 29; PMB, p 42; Qur'an 39:65-70

{4} There would be only three 'Kings of the East': Bahá'u'lláh, 'Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi.

{5} Exodus 8

{6} Ex 8:7

{7} Matt 24:42-44; Luke 12:39-40; Rev 3:3.

{8} E.g., Is 35:2, 41:2: Jer 49:38; Ez 43:2; Hosea 2:15; Micah 7:12-15; Matt 24:3, 27, 36. In these
prophecies, Assyria included old Babylonia, etc.; Elam was a region included in Persia; 'Achor'
literally means 'trouble,' an occult name for modern 'Akka.

{9} SE: TPDIC, p 117

{10} GWB, p 39

{11} GWB, pp 198, 40, 136

{12} Matt 16:27

NOTES TO CHAPTER 17

{1} GWB, p 18)

{2} In THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED published in 1981, I proposed Alexander's empire as the
beast that 'was, is not, yet is.' Based on the analysis of A.J. Toynbee in his monumental A STUDY OF
HISTORY, I have decided that the Persian empire is the correct solution to the riddle.

{3} From the date of the Apocalypse, circa 104 CE, until the beginning of Muhammad's
Dispensation: Syria-Palestine was dominated by Romans, Persians and Byzantines. Arabia was
dominated by Romans, Byzantines, Abyssinians and Persians. Egypt was dominated by Romans and
Byzantines. Libya was dominated by Romans, Vandals, and Byzantines. Spain was dominated by
Romans, Vandals, Visigoths and Byzantines. West Turkestan, later to become Transoxania,
remained an amorphous region dominated in turn by various invaders. Only Persia, under the
Seleucid, Parthian and Sasanid dynasties, remained sovereign.

{4} If one counts only the mainstream Caliphs, there were also 10 un-repeated names of chiefs of the
Seljuk dynasty that seized power from the 'Abbasids. See commentary, Rev 13:13- 14.

{5} In Rev 17:14, we find the epithet 'Lord of lords, and King of kings.' In Rev 19:16 we find the

epithet capitalized and reversed: KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. The reversing of the
epithet suggests that the 'Lamb' of 17:14 is not the same Figure as 'Faithful and True' of verse 19:16.
In fact, 17:14 refers to the Bab while 19:16 refers to Bahá'u'lláh. Collectively, they are the 'Twin
Manifestation.' See A NOTE CONCERNING TITLES in the INTRODUCTION.

{6} TOA; GWB, pp 77, 292, 145. The Bab is Lord of Lords, and King of Kings- BOC: pp 123-4

NOTES TO CHAPTER 18

{1} GWB, pp 339-40, 181, 321

{2} Isaiah 47

{3} Luke 17:2

{4} As in the ancient Islandic legend of 'Amlodhi's Mill.' See de Santillana et al, HAMLET'S MILL.

{5} Jer 25:10

{6} Jer 51:58-64

NOTES TO CHAPTER 19

{1} Cf. Isaiah 47 & 54

{2} Matthew 22:1-13. Repeated with variations in Luke 14:16-24.

{3} Gen 37:31-33

{4} BWF, p 47

{5} All caps to indicate that he rules over the other Kings of kings, and Lords of lords.

{6} BOL, p 49; GPB, p 206. Bahá'u'lláh was given the title 'Lord of Lords' by the Bab in the Persian
Bayan: GPB, p 94.

{7} Matthew 22:12

{8} NEB: Matthew 22:14

{9} See A NOTE CONCERNING TITLES in the INTRODUCTION.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 20

{1} This sequence differs slightly from that proposed in THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED.

{2} See commentary Rev 5:5.

{3} John 3:7

{4} The resurrections that occurred during the Piscean Age were apparently suppressed and

minimized by satanic forces. Both Jesus and Muhammad prophesied that the Great Resurrection
would occur but at a time known only to God. See, e.g., Luke 14:14; Matthew 24:36; Qur'an 99:2,
27:66-67.

{5} BOC, p 118; Qur'an 7:178

{6} Ez 38

{7} ROM, p 50

{8} Ez 38:8

{9} Ez 38:12

{10} Rev 20:9; Ez 38:21-23

{11} Qur'an 21:96

{12} Qur'an 18:82-96

{13} Ez 38:22

{14} Qur'an 18:100

{15} We note that the phrase "from whose face earth and heaven fled away" tends to favor the first
interpretation since it correlates with Rev 6:12-17. On the other hand 'heaven and earth' (the former
Spiritual and Material Laws of God) always 'flee' from the face of a Manifestation of God.

{16} Note that 'thrones' is plural. If there were a single individual who is to have the power of
judgment during the Millennium, the word would be singular.

NOTES TO CHAPTER 21
{1} BWF, p 350

{2} Is 54:5-6

{3} See Rev 2:17, 3:12

{4} REB: Isaiah 65

{5} Is 65:1; BH: WOB, p 104; GPB, p 169

{6} Is 65:10

{7} Is 65:11-12

{8} Is 65:17

{9} Is 65:20

{10} Is 65:25

{11} The REB version of Isaiah 65:16 reads: "Anyone in the land invoking a blessing on himself will
do so by God whose name is Amen, and anyone in the land taking an oath will do so by God whose
name is Amen, for past troubles are forgotten; they have vanished from my sight." The REB is at
variance with the KJV, the RSV and the NIV. These translate 'Amen' as the 'God of truth.' I do not
know the rationale for these interpretations. However, assuming that 'Amen' is introduced as a
sacred name of God in the new Age, what is its meaning? In Piscean Judeo-Christian usage, the
word came to mean simply 'faithful and true!', a 'seal' or an echo of assent to the truth of a spiritual
statement. In Rev 3:14 we find that usage of "Amen" in reference to Muhammad, the "faithful and
true witness" to the Prophethood of Jesus. The 'Rx' symbol on a prescription drug has come to mean
simply a statement of clinical potency, although it was originally an abbreviation of a prayer to
'Jupiter Rex,' the king of the Roman pantheon. Similarly, 'Amon' or 'Amen' was also the name of the
chief god of upper Egypt whose worship was introduced near the beginning of the Age of Aries and
flourished during the Egyptian Captivity. Literally, the name means 'Hidden.' In the words of
Bahá'u'lláh, God is the 'Unknowable Essence,' and 'the most hidden of the hidden.' Apparently, in
the Leo-Aquarian Age, the ancient title might become an acceptable appellation for God, since 'past
troubles are forgotten.'

{12} REB: Ezekiel 28:13-16 lists some of the stones that will be given in this and later verses. The
king of Tyre, adorned with semi-precious stones, once walked on 'God's holy mountain' (Carmel),
but is brought down in disgrace "from among the stones that flashed like fire." Ezekiel {28} gives the
dimensions of the holy City as 4,500 measures on each side and 18,000 measures around the
perimeter. Both of these numbers have an archetypal value of 9. The dimensions of the altar {29}
are given as 12 cubits on each side, which gives an archetypal value of 9 for its area. The altar is
purified for 7 days. {30} The 7 'days' symbolize the seven Faiths (1:4) that precede the Faith of the
Bab and Bahá'u'lláh.

{13} Ezekiel 48:31-34 gives a list of names of the tribes as they are to appear on the gates of a
prophetic city allotted to the tribes of Israel. Ezekiel's list is at variance with Revelation 7:5-8 and
does not appear to have astrological significance.

{14} using Luke's 6:14-16 list.

{15} See Zech 11:13 and commentary Rev 7:5-8.

{15}{16} TAB, pp 92-94; WAB, pp 164-167

{17} AB: SAQ, pp 284-286

{18} AB: SAQ, p 67. See also Joshua 4 and Matthew 19:28.

{19} The orientation of the holy City follows the canon of the four cardinal directions. We find the
same canon applied, for example, to the Giza pyramids. The three gates in each wall represent the
three zodiacal signs centered about that cardinal direction.

{20} TAB, pp 92-94; WAB, pp 164-167

{21} Reported by E.T. Hall of Manchester, England on February 28, 1920.

{22} Recent discoveries by certain Egyptologists indicate that astrology played an important part in
the design and placement of the Giza pyramids. In contrast to the pyramid of the new Jerusalem,

the Great Pyramid of Giza has a base that lies OUTSIDE the circle. There are many other interesting
facts and speculations concerning the Great Pyramid of Giza, but only pertinent characteristics will
be recited.

{23} That is, the 'Quadratura Circuli,' discussed in depth by Carl Jung in PSYCHOLOGY AND
RELIGION, Yale University Press, 1971. See SOME NUMEROLOGY in the INTRODUCTION.

{24} Cf. Zech 1:8-21 with Rev 6:1-8, 7:1.

{25} See TAB, pp 538-40

{26} Approximately 25,920 solar years. Also called a Great Year or a Platonic Year.

{27} Proof not given here. Some of the results follow from the 'circular property of 9,' that is, any
real, positive, non-zero number multiplied by 9 will have an archetypal value of 9.

{28} The interested reader may test other theories of his own, such as by letting each edge of the
pyramid equal 12,000 measures, or by assuming a cubical shape for the holy City. Regardless of the
assumptions posited, the number 9 will appear with high frequency in the archetypal values of the
parameters.

{29} This interpretation of the 12 Foundation Stones is based on a pilgrim's note purportedly given
to Shahnaz Waite by 'Abdu'l-Bahá. My typed copy contains many typographical and other errors. I
have taken some liberties with the text of the note to correct obvious errors, make it more readable,
and to elaborate on certain portions where I considered it productive to do so. In particular, I
included 'justice' as an attribute of the sapphire in accordance with the ancient Egyptian
priesthood's use of the stone to represent 'truth and justice.' The Twelve Basic Principles as listed
here can be found in several issues of STAR OF THE WEST beginning with Vol 10, March 20, 1920.

{30} BH: TABLETS OF BAHA'U'LLAH, p 169

{31} Occultly derived from Exodus 14:19-21. (See KLIMA in the INTRODUCTION.) The set of 72
names was further divided into 4 groups of 18 names in correspondence with the four letters of the
Tetragrammaton, and apparently in correspondence with the four zodiacal seasons. Astrologers
describe the attributes of a sign of the visible zodiac in 6-term combinations of: masculine or
feminine; diurnal or nocturnal; commanding, melancholy, phlegmatic or sanguine; earthy, airy,
fiery or watery; hot or cold; dry or wet. There are probably other secrets in the number 144 that will
not be discussed here.

{32} REB: Isaiah 54:11

{33} Is 54:11

{34} From Lat. 'templus'; Hebrew for Temple is 'beth Jehovah' or 'hecal Jehovah,' a residence or
palace of Jehovah.

{35} Ex 6:12-13

{36} See Mal 2:8; Mark 7:5-8.

{37} Is 60:11, 19-20

{38} Is 60:1

{39} Is 60:14

{40} Is 60:4, 9

{41} The Pantocrator is thrice-holy in 4:8.

{42} The Bab: SWB, p 129 fn

{43} See commentary Rev 7:5-8.

{44} In THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED, I proposed that the Bab was the 'Moon' in this verse. The
moon is a reflector of the sun's light. Since he was a Manifestation of God, the Bab was a 'Sun,' not a
'Moon.'

NOTES TO CHAPTER 22

{1} NTG, Aug 3rd.

{2} Ex 33:11. But in Ex 33:18, Moses seems unsatisfied with this arrangement and requests that he
be permitted to see His 'Glory' (Heb 'Kabowd'). Psalms 73:24 reads (REB) "You guide me by your
counsel and afterwards you will receive me with glory.

{3} We also note that Ez 9:3-4 (REB) reads: 3 "The glory of God of Israel ..... called to the man
dressed in linen, with pen and ink at his waist. 4 'Go through the city of Jerusalem,' said the Lord,
'and mark with a cross the foreheads of those who groan and lament over all the abominations
practiced there.' "

{4} Cf. Rev 1:17, 19:10.

{5} Cf. Rev 1:3, 10:4.

{6} REB, NIV and RSV: 1:8, 21:6 and 22:13. In the KJV, it also occurs (spuriously?) at 1:11.

{7} Is 44:6-7

{8} Jesus reveals that "many of the first will be last, and the last first." (REB) Mark 10:28-31; also
see Matt 20:1-16. Jesus' words imply that many of those who are the first to accept his own
Manifestation may be the last to accept the Manifestation of the Age to come. Confirmed Bahá'ís,
even former atheists, readily accept the validity of the Manifestations of all previous Ages, including
Jesus Christ and Muhammad.

{10} GWB, p 104

{11} Cf. Matt 2:2. The 'rising star' seen by the astrologers from the East (Zoroastrians?) was probably
the great conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter that occurred in 6 BCE.

{12} A few variations in versions of the Apocalypse have already been noted. Certain Christian
groups have rejected the Apocalypse altogether.

{13} in Hebrew! Later equally heroic attempts have been made to equate 666 to various favored
villains. Besides the Caliph, Napoleon may have had enough villainous stature to qualify for the
number, especially since he is the subject of Daniel 11:36-45.

{14} Bahá'u'lláh explains that the phrase 'the Alpha and the Omega' means 'the Word of God,' and
thus it can be applied collectively to every Manifestation of God, since they "are regarded as one soul
and the same person, ... utter the same speech, and proclaim the same Faith." However, Shoghi
Effendi explains that, in the Apocalypse, the title specifically refers to Bahá'u'lláh. (BH: TTJ; WOB, p
115; SE: GPB, p 95

{15} at 1:8, 1:11(?), 21:6, 22:13.

{16} See commentary, Rev 5:5.

NOTES TO APPENDIX A ↩

{1} In at least one version of the Apocalypse, the Alpha is spelled out while the Omega remains a
single letter. The literal value of this version is 1332, which is twice-666.

{2} The hamza is a glottal stop with the value of 1, the same value as the alif.

SOME BAHA'I APOCALYPTIC WRITINGS

The following writings have been used as background material for much of this Commentary on the
Apocalypse. They are described in more detail in THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED.

GENERAL:

'Abdu'l-Bahá: BS, Sections 92, 804

'Abdu'l-Bahá: TAB, pp. 285-6, 294, 678-81

'Abdu'l-Bahá: SOW, Vol. 8, p 180

Shoghi Effendi: GPB, pp 48-9, 57-8, 93-100, 238-40

Mirza Asadu'llah: SOW, Vol. 2, No.1, pp. 3-4

Mirza Asadu'llah: SM, pp 112-19

CHAPTER number:

VERSES; AUTHOR; SOURCE

CHAPTER 1:

4; Shoghi Effendi; BAHA'I NEWS, No. 77, Sept 1933

7; Bahá'u'lláh; BOC, pp 71-3, 216-7

4, 16, 20; The Universal House of Justice; Letter to individual believer, Aug. 7, 1978

4; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; SAQ, p 179

8; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; PT, p 51

8; Shoghi Effendi; GPB, p 95

8; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; SAQ, p 254

8; Bahá'u'lláh; TTJ

8; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; WAB, p 13

11-16; Bahá'u'lláh; TOM

CHAPTER 2:

17; Bahá'u'lláh; GWB, p 195

17; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; SOW, Vol 11, p 275

17; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; TAB, p 677

CHAPTER 4:

4; Shoghi Effendi; GPB, pp 7-8

4; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; SAQ, pp 86-7

4; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; TAB, p 39

CHAPTER 6:

12-13; Bahá'u'lláh; BOC, pp 33-4, 36-41

CHAPTER 9:

12; Shoghi Effendi; M-to-A; pp 99-100

CHAPTER 11:

all; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; SAQ, pp 53-71

11-14; Shoghi Effendi; GPB, pp 49-50

13; Shoghi Effendi; GPB, pp 53-54

13; Mirza Asadu'llah; SM, pp 16-17

CHAPTER 12:

all; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; SAQ, pp 77-82

CHAPTER 13:

8; Louis Gregory & Mirza Abu'l-Fadl; SOW, Vol 13, No 14

18; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; Two Tablets to individual believers

CHAPTER 16:

16; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; SOW, Vol 10, No 3

16; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; 'ABDU'L-BAHA, pp 259, 438

16; Shoghi Effendi; WOB, pp 4-7

CHAPTER 19:

16; Shoghi Effendi; GPB, p 206

CHAPTER 20:

3; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; TAB, pp 659-60

4; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; TAB, pp 396-7, 429-30, 643-4

7; Shoghi Effendi; Bahá'í News, No 89, Jan 1935, p 1

CHAPTER 21:

1-2; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; SOW, Vol 18, No 197

1-2; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; TAB, pp 538-40

1-2; Shoghi Effendi; Bahá'í News, No 134, Mar 1940, p 2

1-2; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; PUP, pp 17-8, 35-6, 97-8

1-2; Mirza Asadu'llah; SM, pp 37-40

1-2; Bahá'u'lláh; ESW, pp 144-5

1-2; Shoghi Effendi; GPB, p 213

1-2; Shoghi Effendi; WOB, pp 204-6

1-2; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; PT, p 84

1-7; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; BWF, pp 350-1 and WAB, pp 12-3

2; Shoghi Effendi; ADJ, pp 64-7

2; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; BWF, pp 380-1

10-17; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; TAB, pp 92-4 and WAB, pp 164-7

15; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; pilgrim's note to E.T. Hall, 1920

19-20; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; pilgrim's note to S. Waite, circa 1920

19-20; ?; SOW, Vol 10, Mar 20, 1920, pp 358-9

22-23; 'Abdu'l-Bahá; TAB, pp 10-11

23; Bahá'u'lláh; BS, Sect 47, p 117

23; Mirza Abu'l-Fadl; SOW, Nov 22, 1902

SOME BIBLICAL REFERENCES

SYMBOLISM:

Wind- Gen 8:1; Ex 10:13, 19, 14:21, 15:10; Num 11:31; 2 Sam 22:11; 1 Kings 19:11; Ps 18:10, 78:26,
104:3, 107:25; Jer 49:36; Is 59:19, 60:19-20; Ez 37:9; Dan 7:2; Zech 2:6; Matt 8:26-7

Dogs and pigs: Matt 7:6

Millstone: Luke 17:2

'Heaven and earth': Matt 24:35

Tower of Babel: Genesis 11:9

'Tree of Life': Gen 2:9

Horn' as a name: Dan 7:8, 11, 20-24, 8:5-22

'Horn' as a 'head': Ps 92:10, 112:9

'See': Is 6:9-10; Matt 13:14-19, 24:15; John 9:39; Acts 28:26-27; Romans 1:20. Cf Matt 17:10-13 with
2 Kings 2:11 & Mal 4:5

'Death,' 'sleep,' etc.: Gen 2:17; Ez 18:21-23; Matt 8:21-22, 10:28; John 11:25, 17:3; 1 Tim 5:6;

Raised from death: Romans 1:2

'Clouds': Ps 97:2; Is 44:22, 50:3; Ez 30:1-3, 32:7-8; Zeph 1:14-15;

Stars shall fall, etc.- Matt 24:29-30

Rod of Iron- Is 11:4

'Manna' = 'Word of God'- John 1:1-2, 3:34, 6:33 ff, 6:50-51,

12:49; Wisdom 9:17

Door: Psalm 24:7-10; Ez 43:1-4

The rejected stone: Ps 118:22

'Seven eyes'- Zech 3:9- 4:10

Seven suns: Is 30:26

Tree: Gen 2:9; Ps 1:3; Prov 3:18; Dan 4:10, 20-22; Matt 3:10, 7:19, 12:33

Sun and heat- Eccl (e.g.) 3:16, 4:1-16, 5:13, 18, 6:1; Is 49:10; Ps 121:6; Jonah 4:8; Mal 4:1-2

Water- Is 12:3, 49:10; Jer 2:13, 17:13; Ez 36:25; John 4:10-14; Zec 14:8

Hunger- Ex 16:3-4; Deut 8:3; Neh 9:15; Ps 34:10; Amos 8:11-12; Matt 5:6; Luke 6:21, 25; John 6:35

Fire: E.g., Is 1:25, 10:17, 30:27-33, 33:11, 66:15-16; Amos 2:5; Ps 29:7-8, 83:14-15; Mal 3:2-3; Jer
13:9; Heb 12:29

Grass and green things: Job 5:25, 8:16, 15:32, Ps 23:2, 37:2, 35-36, 52:8, 72:6, 90:5-6, 92:7, 102:4,
103:15-16, 129:6-8; Pr 19:12; Is 37:27, 40:6-8, 44:3-4, 51:12; Jer 11:16, 17:8; Ez 17:24; Hos 14:8;
Micah 5:7; Luke 23:30-31; James 1:10-11; 1 Peter 1:24-25

Voices: Gen 4:10; Ec 5:3-7; Ps 55:3, 58:5, 74:23

Thunder, etc.: E.g., Ps 46:6, 77:18, 93:3-5, 104:7

Sea and dry land: E.g.: Exodus 14:16-29; Haggai 2:6-7

Rain: Ps 72:6; Pr 16:15; Is 5:6, 55:10-11; Jer 5:24, 14:22; Ez 1:28, 38:22; Hos 10:12; Amos 4:7; Zec
14:17-18; Matt 5:45

Hail: Ps 11:6, 105:22

Earthquake: Ps 114:7; 1 Chron 16:29-34; Joel 3:16; Amos 8:8; Is 13:13, 14:16; Hag 2:6-7; Heb 12:26-

Sun, moon and stars: Amos 8:9; Ezek 32:7-8; Job 38:7; Num 24:17; Acts 2:20; Jude 1:13; Matt
24:29; Obad 1:4; Gen 37:9; Deut 17:3; Ps 72:5, 121:6, 136:8-9, 148:3; Is 60:19-20, 14:12; 13:10,
30:26; Jer 31:35; Joel 2:10, 31, 3:15; Micah 3:6; Luke 21:25

Heavens rolled up: Is 34:4; Matt 24:29-30

Mountains, valleys: Ps 114:4; Is 14:25-26, 2:2-3, 40:4, 65:23-25; Jer 48:8; Micah 1:3-4; Luke 23:30;
3:4-5; Dan 2; John 4:21

Dens, islands, rocks: Ps 18:2; Deut 32:4, 30, 31

Fire and brimstone: Gen 19:24; Deut 29:23; Job 18:15; Ps 11:6; Is 30:33, 34:9; Ez 38:22; Luke 17:29

Birds: Gen 40:17-19; Lev 14:6-53; Ps 11:1, 35:7, 124:7; Jer 4:25, 5:27, 12:4-9; Ez 13:20, 39:4; Ec
10:20; Hosea 9:11, 11:11; Dan 4:33; Lam 3:52; Is 31:5, 46:11; Matt 13:32; Luke 17:20, 37

Frogs: Exodus 8

Altar: E.g., Ex 30:1, 27, 31:8, 35:15, 40:5; 1 Kings 1:50-51; 2 Chron 6:22; Amos 3:14; Matt 23:18-22

Dead (Gr: 'Nekros' = lit. or fig. 'dead')- all of Revelation except Rev 11; all N.T. direct quotes of Jesus
except: Matt 9:24; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52, 10:30; John 6:49, 58, 11:14, 25

Dead (Gr: 'Ptoma' = 'a lifeless body')- Rev 11

Dead (Gr: 'Apothnesco' = lit. or fig. 'to die off')- Matt 9:24; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52; John 6:49, 58,
11:14, 25

Dead (Gr: 'Anazao' = lit. or fig. 'be alive again')- Luke 15:24, 32

Alive (Gr: 'Zao' = lit. or fig. 'lively')- Rev 1:18, 2:8

Stand (Heb: ''Amad' = lit. and fig. 'arise')- Dan 12:1, 13

Awake (Heb: 'Quwts' = lit. or fig. 'arise')- Dan 12:2

'mark' as a 'sign' or 'token' (Heb 'oth'): Gen 4:15; Deut 11:18

'mark' as a 'signature' (Heb 'tawv'): Ez 9:4, 6

'mark' as a 'badge of servitude' (Gr 'charagma'): Rev 13:16, 17, 14:9, 11, 15:2, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4

'image' as a 'resemblance' (Heb 'tselen'): Gen 1:26

'image' as a 'resemblance' (Gr 'eikon'): Matt 22:20; Mark 12:16; Luke 20:24; Rev 13:14, 15, 14:9, 11, !
5:2, 16:2, 19:20, 20:4

PARABLE AND ALLEGORY:

Allegory used in the Bible: Matt 13:10-23, 36-43, 15:8-20, 16:11-12, 17:11-13, 22:29-32, 26:26-28;
Mark 4:10-12, 34; 1 Cor 2:13-14, 4:20, 10:1-4, 14:15-20; 2 Cor 4:18; Gal 4:21-26

Parable of the Vineyard: Matt 21:33-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 20:9-16

Parable of the Talents: Matt 16:21, 25:1, 14-30

Parable of the Feast: Matthew 22:1-13; Luke 14:16-24. Cf. Isaiah 47 & 54;

NUMBERS AND NUMEROLOGY:

Forty: Ex 24:18; Gen 7:4, 12, 8:6, 18:29, 50:3; Numbers 13:25, 14:33-34; Deut 2:7, 8:2-4, 25, 9:18-
25; 1 Kings 19:8; Ezek 4:6, 16:35, 24:18, 29:11; Jonah 3:4; 1 Sam 17:16; Matt 4:2; Acts 1:3; Ps 95:10;
Micah (KJV) 7:15; Josh 5:6, 13:1; Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2

'72'- Num 11:25-6; Luke (REB, NIV) 10:1

'Thrice'- Ex 34:23-4; 2 Kings 13:18-19, 25; Matt 26:34; Luke 22:34; John 13:38; Acts 10:16

Seven times seven: Lev 25:8-12; Deut 16:9

Seventy times seven: Dan 9:24; Matt 18:21-22

Two olive trees: Zech 4:3, 11-14; Exodus 7; Ex 9:33, Ex 4:9, Ex 4:21

The 12 stones of the priestly breastplate- Ex 39:12

Four horses of heaven- Zech 6:2-3

Bonding of souls- Matt 13; Mark 4:30-34

AGES AND ASTROLOGY:

Future Ages: Ps 72:5; Matt 12:32, 24:3, 26:29, 28:20 (RSV); 1 Cor 10:11

Four corners: Zech 1:8-21

The cosmic machine- Ezek 1, 10

Cosmic seasons- Mark 13:28-29

Age of Aries- Acts 17:23 (Egyptian cult of Ram = 'Amon' = 'Occult')

'Lamb of God'- John 1:29, 36

Age of Pisces- Matt 2:1-2

Golden calf (Age of Taurus)- Ex 32:23

Four horses of heaven- Zech 6:2-3

'Forever' is an 'Aeon'- Cf. Matt 28:20 in KJV and RSV; 1 Peter 1:5, 20, 4:7; 1 Cor 10:11; Jude 18

PROGRESSIVE REVELATION:

Progressive Revelation: Heb 4:14, 6:20, 7:12; 9:15-28 (cf. 1 Tim 2:5 & 2 Cor 3:7-11)

Future Manifestations: Matt 16:27, 19:28, 24:3, 30, 44; Mark 13:26; Luke 9:26, 17:24-26, 30, 18:8;
John 14:16, 17, 26, 15:26, 16:7, 8, 13

Jesus foretold by Moses: Deut 18:15-19; John 5:46

"Fierce as a Lion to Judah" (Third-Day prophecy)- Hosea 5:14 - 6:2. [The three 'days' are the
Dispensations of Jesus, Muhammad and the Bab. The Bab's Declaration came a few weeks after the
Edict of Toleration that permitted the Jews to resettle the Holy Land.]

New song- Is 42:9-10, 43:19

THE BOOKS WERE SEALED:

Dan 12:4, 8-9; John 16:12-13; 1 Corinthians 13:8-12

STATION OF A MANIFESTATION:

Son of God: John 10:34-35; Psalm 82:6-8; Romans 1:3-4; Heb 1:4-6

Jesus' relationship to Abraham: John 8:58

The Manifestation as a 'Mirror'- Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3-4

"I and my Father are one."- John 10:30

Autonomy of a Manifestation- John 5:26-27

RESURRECTION AND THE RAPTURE:

Born again: John 3:5-7, 6:54-8

The time known only to God: Luke 14:14; Matthew 24:36

The 'Rapture'- Cf. 1 Thess 4:16 and Ephesians 2:5-7

Resurrection: (Gr: 'Anastasis' = 'a standing up again' = lit. 'a resurrection from death' or fig. 'a moral
recovery of spiritual truth')- Rev 20:5, 6; all direct quotes of Jesus in the Gospels (i.e., Matt 22:30-
31; Luke 14:14, 20:35-36; John 5:29, 11:25); also Matt 27:53, 12:18, 23; Mark 12:26-27; Luke 20:27,
33; John 11:24

Resurrection (Gr: 'Egersis' = lit. 'a resurgence from death' or fig. 'an awakening from inactivity')-
Matt 27:53

Resurrection (Gr: 'Exanastasis' = lit. 'a rising from death')- Philippians 3:11

The 'Rapture':

Raised (Gr: 'Egeiro' = lit. 'to waken from sleep or death' or fig. 'to rouse from inactivity')- Eph 1:20

Raised (Gr: 'Sunegeiro' = lit. 'to rouse from death in company with' or fig. 'to revivify spiritually in
resemblance to')- Eph 2:6

Caught up (Gr: 'Harpazo' = 'to seize' in various applications)- 1 Thes 4:17; Rev 12:5

Alive (Gr: 'Zao' [see above])- 1 Thes 4:15, 17

DISPENSATION OF BAHA'U'LLAH:

One name for God: Zech 14:9

One God: Eph 4:4-6; Gal 3:20; Mal 2:10

One shepherd: John 10:16

As bright as 7 suns: Is 30:26

Day not followed by Night- Zech 14:7

Deliverance of daughter of Zion: Is 62:11

Falcon from the east: Is 46:10-11

Word renewed at Babylon: Micah 4:10; Ez 1:1, 28, 43:1-4; Zec 4. Cf. Ezra 5:2 & Zech 4:9. [The river
Chebar or Kabar empties into the Euphrates at Babylon. 'Zerubabel' means 'Banished in Babylon.']

"Here am I, here am I": Is 65:1

One like the son of man: Daniel 7:13

Marriage of the Lamb: Isaiah 47 & 54

Mystical references to Bahá' (Glory): Is 60:1-2; Hab 2:14; (Beth and Ayn:) 1 Kings 7:21; 2 Chron 3:15
; Exod 13:21; Ruth 4:21

Lord of Hosts, First and Last, Latter Day Redeemer, King of Glory: Is 41:4, 14, 44:6, 47:4, 48:12,
59:19-21; Ps 24:7- 10; Job 19:25; Jer 23:5-8

God of Glory: Acts 7:2

Spirit of Truth: John 16:12-15

Throne of Glory: Jer 14:21; Ez 1:26; Matt 19:28, 25:31

'Zerubbabel' (= 'Banished in Babylon' = Bahá'u'lláh)- Haggai 2:23; Zech 3:9- 4:10

Rod of Jesse: Is 11:1, 10

Michael: Dan 10:13, 21, 12:1-4. [Also see Exodus 23:23. 'My Angel' = 'Michael' by rearrangement of
the Hebrew letters. This is an ancient form of letter mysticism called 'temurah.']

Birth of Michael: Dan 12:1

The 'Return'- Luke 13:35; Matt 16:27, 17:10-13, 25:31-33

Thief in the Night- Matt 24:42-44; Luke 12:39-40; Cf. 2 Peter and Wisdom 17:19-18:1

Glory [= Heb 'Kabowd' = Gr 'Doxa' = 'palpable manifestation'] E.g.: Deut 5:24; 1 Sam 4:21; Ps 73:24;
Is 3:8, 6:3; Ez 39:21; Matt 24:30; Mark 13:26; Luke 9:26, 21:27, 24:26

Glory of God: E.g.: Ex 16:7, 10, 24:16, 33:18, 40:34; Lev 9:6; Num 14:10; Ps 19:1, 24:7-10, 102:16,
138:5; Is 35:2, 40:5, 60:1, 11, 19-20; Ez 1:28, 3:12, 43:1-4, 9:3, 10:4, 18, 19, 11:22, 23; Hab 2:14; Hag
2:7; Matt 16:27; Mark 8:38; Luke 2:9, 9:26; John 11:4, 40, 17:5, 22, 24, 9:26, 21:27, 24:26; Acts 7:55

Glory of God at Babylon [at the river Kebar]: Ez 3:23, 8:4, 43:1-5

Glory of God fills the Sanctuary: 1 Kings 8:11; 2 Chron 5:14

Cloak dyed red; winepress, etc.: Gen 37:31-33, 49:11; Isaiah 63:1-3

Rejection of Bahá'u'lláh: Luke 17:22-25; Is 60:1-3

Forty-year Ministry: KJV: Micah 7:15

Israel's call to return: Is 5:24-26, 60:4, 9

THE BRANCH,

'ABDU'L-BAHA: Isaiah 11:1 (KJV).

THE CHILD,

SHOGHI EFFENDI: Is 11:6

CARMEL:

Carmel: 1 Kings 19:8; Is 35:2; Jer 46:18, 50:19

Napoleon at Carmel: Dan 11:45 to 12:1

Bahá'u'lláh at Carmel: E.g., Is 35:2, 41:2; Is 65: Jer 49:38; Ez 43:2; Hosea 2:15; Micah 7:12-15; Matt
24:3, 27, 36. In these prophecies, Assyria included old Babylonia, etc.; Elam was a region included
in Persia; 'Achor' literally means 'trouble,' an occult name for modern 'Akka;

OLIVE TREES:

Olive trees: Ps 52:8; Jer 11:16; Hos 14:6

Two olive trees: Zech 4:3, 11-14

BABYLON:

Fall of Babylon: Isaiah 47

Fall of Israel to Babylon: Jer 25:10

Babylon; Ps 137:8; Is 21:9, 48:14; Jer 29:15; Jer 50; Zec 2:7

Babylon in ruins: Jer 51:58, 64

Daughter of Babylon: Is 47

Word renewed at Babylon: Micah 4:10; Ez 1:1, 28, 43:1-4; Zec 4. Cf. Ezra 5:2 & Zech 4:9. [The river
Chebar or Kabar empties into the Euphrates at Babylon. 'Zerubabel' means 'Banished in Babylon.']

DAY OF THE LORD:

A Day of the Lord = 'a thousand years': Ps 90:4

Woe: Is 3:9, 11, 5:8-22, 29:15; Ez 13:3, 18, 34:2; Luke 11:42-52

Woe attends a Day of the Lord: Amos 5:18

Rejection of Messengers: Matt 23:29-39; Acts 7:51-53

SATAN:

Leviathan: Is 27:1

Dragon: Is 51:9; Ezek 29:3

Scorpion: Gen 49:17-18

Serpent: E.g., Gen 3:1; Ex 4:4-5; Matt 10:16; Job 26:13; Is 27:1, 14:29; Amos 9:3. Cf: Numbers 21:9
and John 3:14-15

Satan: E.g., Job 1:6 ff; Zech 3:1 ff; Matt 4:10, 12:26, 16:22; Mark 1:13; Luke 10:18, 13:16, 22:31; Acts
26:18

Evolution of 'Satan': Cf: 2 Sam 24:1 and 1 Chron 21:1

ZION:

Ps 65:1; Is 2:3-4, 59:19-21; John 4:21; Romans 9:33, 11:26; 1 Pet 2:6

ARMAGEDDON:

Megiddo: 2 Kings 23:29; 2 Chron 35:22; Zech 12:11

THE ABOMINATION THAT MAKES DESOLATE:

Dan 8:13-14, 11:31, 12:11; Ez 18:12; Matt 24:15, 29, 30; Mark 13:10, 14, 24-27; Luke 21:20, 24-28

THE COVENANT:

The Covenant- Gen 9:13; Ezek 1:28, 6:12-13; 16:62, 37:26; Jer 31:4, 31-34, 32:38-40; Luke 1:72; Is
52:9, 54:10, 59:21; Ps 33:11, 105:8-9; Hos 14:7; Amos 9:11; Mic 7:18-19; Heb 8:8

Violation of the Covenant: Malachi 2:8-10; Zep 3:9; Matt 16:18-19, 28:18-20; Mark 7:5-8, 16:15;
Luke 24:47; John 21:15-17; 1 Cor 4:9, 9:1-27, 12:27-31, 15:9; 2 Cor 11:5-13, 12:11; Gal 1:17-19

SACRIFICE:

Blood sacrifice- Gen 22:13-14; Ex 24:4-8; Num 6:17, 28:9; Lev 4:32-35, 16:11; 1 Peter 1:19, 2:5; Heb
9:12-14, 10:4, 11, 12; Is 40:2, 53:4-5; John 1:29, 36; Rom 12:1

'Lamb of God'- John 1:29, 36

ONLY BEGOTTEN:

Israel: Apoc of Ezra 6:55

Jesus: cf. John 1:18 in KJV and RSV

THE NEW JERUSALEM:

The new Jerusalem- Is 2:2-4, 9:6-7, Is 60, 62:1-2; Zec 14:9

Precious stones: Ezekiel 28:13-16; Is 54:11

No more curse: Isaiah 65; Zech 14:11

'Running water': Zech 14:8

List of tribes: Ezekiel 28:13-16

'wall of fire': Zech 2:1-5

PROPHETIC TIME SCALES:

A 'day' equals a 'year': Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6

A Day of the Lord = 'a thousand years': Ps 90:4

'Forever' is an 'Aeon'- Cf. Matt 28:20 in KJV and RSV; 1 Peter 1:5, 20, 4:7; 1 Cor 10:11; Jude 18

3 1/2 'times': Dan 7:25 and 12:7

THRONE OF DAVID:

Throne of David- 1 Sam 16:1; 2 Sam 7:12-16; Is 9:6-7; Ez 37:24; Mal 2:10; Zep 3:9

Sons of David cut off: Ezekiel 19:4; 2 Kings 21:2-7, 24:17, 25:7; Psalm 132:11-12; Jer 15:4, 36:30; Is
63:10; Zech 12:7

Ultimate victory: Gen 49:10

Jesus denies the Throne: Matt 10:34; John 18:33-36

KEY OF DAVID:

Is 22:22

MESSIAH:

Cyrus a messiah: Is 45:1

Prepare a lamp for him: Psalm (REB) 132:17

Not a son of David: Matt 22:42-45; Mark 12:35-37; Luke 20:41; Psalm 110; John 18:33-36

DIVINE BESTOWAL:

David: 1 Sam 16:1;

Melchizedek, Jesus: Heb 5:4-5, 7:3, 15;

Bahá'u'lláh: Is 11

THRONE OF HEAVEN:

Jesus: John 18:36; Matt 19:28; Luke 22:30

APOSTLES OF JESUS:

As per Luke: Luke 6:12

Sons of thunder: Mark 3:17

Judas: John 13:21-30; Zech 11:7-14

GOG AND MAGOG:

Ez 38

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY ↩

JUDEO-CHRISTIAN:

KJV: THE KING JAMES VERSION OF THE HOLY BIBLE
NEB: THE NEW ENGLISH HOLY BIBLE
REB: THE REVISED ENGLISH HOLY BIBLE
NIV: THE NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION OF THE HOLY BIBLE

RSV: THE REVISED STANDARD VERSION OF THE HOLY BIBLE
Roland H. Bainton, CHRISTENDOM, Vol. 1, Harper and Row, NY, 1966
Ernst Muller, HISTORY OF JEWISH MYSTICISM, Oxford, 1946
Rudolph Bultmann, PRIMITIVE CHRISTIANITY IN ITS CONTEMPORARY SETTING, tr. Rev. R.H.
Fuller, Meridian Books, World Publishing Co., Cleveland and New York, 1956
F.H. Colson, G.H. Whitaker, PHILO, London, 1929
Christopher Dawson, et al, SAINT AUGUSTINE, HIS AGE, LIFE AND THOUGHT, Meridian Books,
the World Publishing Company, Cleveland, 1969
Graham Hancock, THE SIGN AND THE SEAL, Crown Publishers, NY, 1992

MUSLIM:

QUR'AN: THE HOLY BOOK OF ISLAM
Syed Aeer Ali, THE SPIRIT OF ISLAM, W.H. Allen Co., London, 1891; Christophers, 1935
T.W. Arnold, THE PREACHING OF ISLAM, Scribners, NY, 1913 E.J. Brill, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA
OF ISLAM, Leiden, 1913-1942, 1960- 1966
H.M. Balyuzi, MUHAMMAD AND THE COURSE OF ISLAM, George Ronald, Oxford, 1976

BAHA'I:

WAB- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA
PT- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, PARIS TALKS
CB- Bahá'u'lláh, THE COVENANT OF BAHA'U'LLAH (KITAB-I-'AHD)
SWB- The Bab, SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF THE BAB
SDC- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, THE SECRET OF DIVINE CIVILIZATION
THW- Bahá'u'lláh, THE HIDDEN WORDS
BOC- Bahá'u'lláh, THE BOOK OF CERTITUDE
GPB - Shoghi Effendi, GOD PASSES BY
WOB- Shoghi Effendi, THE WORLD ORDER OF BAHA'U'LLAH
SAQ-, 'Abdu'l-Bahá, SOME ANSWERED QUESTIONS
TDB- Nabil's Narrative, THE DAWN-BREAKERS, (trans. & edit. by Shoghi Effendi)
BWF- Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, BAHA'I WORLD FAITH
ROM- Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, THE REALITY OF MAN
ESW- Bahá'u'lláh, EPISTLE TO THE SON OF THE WOLF
PMB- Bahá'u'lláh, PRAYERS AND MEDITATIONS
GWB- Bahá'u'lláh, GLEANINGS FROM THE WRITINGS OF BAHA'U'LLAH
TCH- Lady Blomfield, THE CHOSEN HIGHWAY
WATAB- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, THE WILL AND TESTAMENT OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA
ADJ- Shoghi Effendi, THE ADVENT OF DIVINE JUSTICE
TPDIC- Shoghi Effendi, THE PROMISED DAY IS COME
PUP- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, THE PROMULGATION OF UNIVERSAL PEACE
TAB- 'Abdu'l-Bahá, TABLETS OF 'ABDU'L-BAHA ABBAS, (3 volumes) 1940
M-to-A - Shoghi Effendi, MESSAGES TO AMERICA (1932-46)

SM- Mirza Asadu'llah, SACRED MYSTERIES, 1902
BS- Bahá'u'lláh and 'Abdu'l-Bahá, BAHA'I SCRIPTURES, 1923
TTJ: Bahá'u'lláh, TABLET TO THE JEWS
BOL: Bahá'u'lláh, THE BOOK OF LAWS (KITAB-I-AQDAS)
TAF: Bahá'u'lláh, TABLET OF ALL FOOD
TOM: Bahá'u'lláh, TABLET OF MYSTERIES
TOA: Bahá'u'lláh, TABLET OF AHMAD
NTG: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, London, NEARNESS TO GOD
SOW: STAR OF THE WEST, republished by George Ronald, Oxford
TOB: TABLETS OF BAHA'U'LLAH
Adib Taherzadeh, THE REVELATION OF BAHA'U'LLAH, George Ronald, Oxford (4 volumes)
Elena Maria Marsella, THE QUEST FOR EDEN, Philosophical Library, NY, 1966
Abdu'l-Qasim Faizi, EXPLANATION OF THE EMBLEM OF THE GREATEST NAME, Bahá'í News,
Wilmette, IL, Oct 1968
Dhikru'llah Kadem, BAHA'U'LLAH AND HIS MOST HOLY SHRINE, Bahá'í News, Wilmette, IL,
March 1976, No. 540
Jamshed K. Fozdar, BUDDHA MAITRYA-AMITABHA HAS APPEARED, Bahá'í Publishing Trust,
India, 1976
William Sears, THIEF IN THE NIGHT, George Ronald, Oxford
J.E. Esslemont, BAHA'U'LLAH AND THE NEW ERA, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, Wilmette, IL
Ruhiyyih Rabbani, THE PRICELESS PEARL, Bahá'í Publishing Trust, London
H.M. Balyuzi, 'ABDU'L-BAHA, George Ronald, Oxford
Usted Muhammad-'Aliy-i Salmani, MY MEMORIES OF BAHA'U'LLAH, (tr. Marzieh Gail), Kalimat
Press, Los Angeles, 1982
H.M. Balyuzi, BAHA'U'LLAH, THE KING OF GLORY, George Ronald, Oxford, 1980

COMPARATIVE RELIGION:
Hans Jonas, THE GNOSTIC RELIGION, Beacon Press, Boston, 1963
Huston Smith, THE RELIGIONS OF MAN, Harper and Brothers, NY, 1958
Edward Conze, BUDDHISM: ITS ESSENCE AND DEVELOPMENT, Philosophical Library, NY, 1951
Jacques Duscesne-Guillemin, SYMBOLS AND VALUES IN ZOROASTRIANISM, Harper and Row,
NY, 1966
G.R. Driver, CANAANITE MYTHS AND LEGENDS, Clark, Edinburgh, 1956
David Brady, THE BOOK OF REVELATION AND THE QUR'AN: IS THERE A POSSIBLE
LITERARY RELATIONSHIP?, Journal of Semitic Studies, Vol 23, #2, Autumn, 1978

GENERAL HISTORY:
Arnold J. Toynbee, A STUDY OF HISTORY
Simeon L. Guterman, RELIGIOUS TOLERATION AND PERSECUTION IN ANCIENT ROME,
London, 1961
S. Runciman, THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE, 1453, Cambridge University Press, 1965
V.V. Bartold, TURKESTAN DOWN TO THE MONGOL INVASION, 2nd ed., 1958
Alexis Perrey, NOTE SUR LES TREMBLEMENTS DE TERRE, Academie Royale des Sciences des
lettres et des Beaux Artes de Belgique, Bulletin, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp.291-308 of the First Series, 1855
O. Neugebauer, THE EXACT SCIENCES IN ANTIQUITY, Dover Publications, NY, 1969
Milton K. Munitz, THEORIES OF THE UNIVERSE, FROM BABYLONIAN MYTH TO MODERN

SCIENCE, The Free Press, Macmillan Publishing Co., NY, 1957
Lord Curzon, PERSIA AND THE PERSIAN QUESTION

SYMBOLISM:

Carl Jung, MAN AND HIS SYMBOLS, Doubleday, Garden City, NY
Carl Jung, PSYCHOLOGY AND RELIGION, Yale University Press, 1971
Carl Jung, PSYCHOLOGY AND ALCHEMY, Collected Works, Bollingen Series XX, NY, 1953
Otto Rank, BEYOND PSYCHOLOGY, Dover, NY, 1958
Jose A. Arguelles, THE TRANSFORMATIVE VISION, Shambhala, Berkeley, Calif, 1975
Adelaide S. Hall, A GLOSSARY OF IMPORTANT SYMBOLS, Bates and Guild, Boston, 1912

ASTROLOGY:

Giorgio de Santillana and Hertha von Dechend, HAMLET'S MILL, Gambit, Boston, 1969; David R.
Godine, Boston, 1977
Arthur M. Harding, PhD, ASTRONOMY, Garden City Publishing Co., NY, 1935
Alan Oken, AS ABOVE, SO BELOW, Bantam Books, NY, 1973 Robert Hand, HOROSCOPE
SYMBOLS, Whitford Press, West Chester, PA, 1981

NUMEROLOGY:

Plato, TIMAEUS
Aristotle, DE CAELO
E.W. Bullinger, NUMBER IN SCRIPTURE, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1986
Carlo Suares, THE CIPHER OF GENESIS, Shambhala, Berkeley, 1970
John Mitchell, CITY OF REVELATION, Garnstone press, London, 1972; Ballantine Books, NY, 1973
Christopher Butler, NUMBER SYMBOLISM, Barnes and Noble, NY, 1970
F.B. Bond and Dr. T.S. Lea, GEMATRIA, Basil Blackwell, Oxford
Ernest G. McClain, THE MYTH OF INVARIANCE, Shambhala, Boulder and London, 1978

MATHEMATICS:

Kenneth Appel and Wolfgang Haken, THE SOLUTION OF THE FOUR-COLOR- MAP PROBLEM,
Scientific American, October, 1977
Martin Gardner, THE COLORING OF UNUSUAL MAPS LEADS INTO UNCHARTED TERRITORY,
Scientific American, Feb, 1980

SACRED GEOMETRY:

Matila Ghyka, THE GEOMETRY OF ART AND LIFE, Dover Publications, NY, 1977
R.A. Schwaller de Lubicz, THE TEMPLE IN MAN, The Autumn Press, Brookline, Mass, 1977
Peter Tompkins, SECRETS OF THE GREAT PYRAMID, Harper and Row, NY, 1971
H.E. Huntley, THE DIVINE PROPORTION, Dover Publications, NY, 1970

BOOKS BY THE AUTHOR:

THE APOCALYPSE UNSEALED, Philosophical Library, NY, 1981 I, DANIEL: The most recent
version can be downloded from http://members.aol.com/bennachti/riggs.htm

اختر نصًّا ثانيًا لقراءته بالتوازي — ترجمةً، أو أيّ نصٍّ آخر.