Jesus Speaks - Chapter 01

MENU: "Jesus Speaks" Table of Contents : Next Chapter

Jesus Speaks
To The World Religions
Chapter One
Book of Revelation

CONCEPT BOX
The Book of Revelation is the most important Book in the Bible because it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. It is the only Book directly revealed by Jesus. We have record of Jesus actually writing only one thing during His time on earth, and that was when he bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground when they brought to him the woman taken in adultery. (John 8:5) All else that we have, other than the Book of Revelation, is what was recorded by His disciples.
Why this is the most important Book in the Bible is because the foremost purpose of the Old Testament was to foretell the coming of the Messiah, and the Message of the New Testament is the Good News of how the promise of the Old Testament had been fulfilled through Jesus Christ. The Book of Revelation is then the Message of Jesus Christ Himself.
The very beginning of the Book of Revelation states:
a. THIS is the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
b. Which He sent by His Angel .
c. To John.
d. Who wrote it down .
e. For us to read NOW .
f. Because it was sealed until the Time of the End.
(see Chapter Five verses 1-3).

In the AFTERWORD of this chapter we discuss the "Only Begotten Son".

Bible Verses
[1] The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

V.1 These are the last days of what is to us an 'Old' Cycle and the beginning of a New Cycle. Therefore these days are a very important time. All the Prophets of the past looked forward to this Day.

[2] Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

V.2 Jesus, through His Angel, gave His Revelation to John who wrote it down. The Revelation is a Prophecy about what is to happen in the "last days" and gives the reasons for what is to occur, at the end of this Old Cycle in which we have lived, and what is to occur in the New Cycle which is just beginning.

[3] 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.

V.3 The voice of God is universal, each of us are enriched by the Word in all the religions, as we find the same prophecy of fulfillment for each religion (that The Manifestation of God will come at the End of the Age to bring Peace on Earth.) The mistake many make is believing that each religion has its own god, but this is of course not so, because there is but One God. By studying other religions we overcome our prejudiced feelings of superiority.

Know thou assuredly that the essence of all the Prophets of God is one and the same. Their unity is absolute. God, the Creator, saith: There is no distinction whatsoever among the Bearers of My Message. They all have but one purpose; their secret is the same secret. To prefer one in honor to another, to exalt certain ones above the rest, is in no wise to be permitted. Every true Prophet hath regarded His Message as fundamentally the same as the Revelation of every other Prophet gone before Him... The measure of the revelation of the Prophets of God in this world, however, must differ. Each and every one of them hath been the Bearer of a distinct Message, and hath been commissioned to reveal Himself through specific acts. It is for this reason that they appear to vary in their greatness...
(Baha'u'llah,
XXXIV Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah)

[4] John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

V.4 John addressed the seven churches in Turkey, where he had been teaching in Asia. The towns named are now mostly in ruins, no longer significant, so for us the names are archetypes. They each have a meaning that can be related to one of the seven major religions currently in the world.
The seven Spirits, are similarly the �seven churches� the seven religions of the world.

The Spirit:
A. which is
B. which was
C. which is to come
is a Manifestation that is a different Personage,
but the same Spirit Manifested to ALL the Seven Spirits,
(therefore the Seven Churches / World Religions)
that are before His Throne.

[5] 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,

V.5 John wrote that Jesus is a Faithful Witness, and the �first begotten of the dead'.

John 1:18
No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
(King James Bible)
This concept - "The first begotten of the dead", combined with "the only begotten Son", in consideration that Jesus was born of a virgin, is of such significance to Christians that the Afterword of this chapter is devoted to it.

[6] And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

V.6 Through Christ, God gave us teachers; ministers and priests ((Ephesians 4:11-12) who studied the Writings, helped the poor in spirit, and became teachers of His Word. The Testimony given to Christ from God will last forever. To grasp the importance of the Book of Revelation, one needs to grasp the importance of its Revealer (Jesus Christ) to the whole universe and all of eternity. Throughout the Infinite and Eternal, long before Abraham, in every galaxy of the Universe, on every planet a Manifestation of God has been that same I AM that is Jesus Christ, and shall continue to be throughout all Eternity.

[7] 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.

V.7 The coming "with clouds" or "in the clouds" does not have a literal meaning. It means that men's minds are "clouded" in recognizing The Promised One. This is the verse where Christ first introduces 'His Return' as being Muhammad, and we could equally say later, as the Bab and Baha'u'llah. It also particularly applies to the Bab who was pierced by bullets.
In the first Gospel according to Matthew it is recorded: ... they shall see the Son of man coming
in the clouds of heaven
with power and great glory. ...Inasmuch as the Christian divines have failed to apprehend the meaning of these words, and did not recognize their object and purpose, and have clung to the literal interpretation of the words of Jesus, they therefore became deprived of the streaming grace of the Muhammadan Revelation and its showering bounties. The ignorant among the Christian community, following the example of the leaders of their faith, were likewise prevented from beholding the beauty of the King of glory,...
(Baha'u'llah,
The Kitab-i-Iqan,
p. 26)
A new Revealer always brings a new wave of Spirit, and we can see that today with every technology growing by leaps and bounds such that in almost every aspect of life there is change. What is missing is that mankind has not caught the spiritual message, so we see crime, immorality, wars, etc.. This is what causes the kindreds of the earth to wail as the spiritual powers released are not yet understood.

[8] 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.

V.8 In this verse Christ is saying He is the beginning and the ending; the 'Alpha and the Omega'. He says again:
A. which is
B. which was
C. which is to come
This goes beyond the human concept of beginning and end. Thus it is like the saying that �Before Abraham was, I AM', and that not only was it He (Christ) in the previous cycle but that He (Christ) is also the same Spirit that came to all the Prophets of all the religions of the world; and as stated before, throughout the Infinite and Eternal, long before Abraham, in every galaxy of the Universe, on every planet a Manifestation of God has been that same I AM that is Jesus Christ, and shall continue to be throughout all Eternity. It is of course, also the same Spirit to come that came in Baha'u'llah. Christ is telling that His present dispensation is to end, and that He will still be present in the New Dispensation as He was present in all the former Dispensations.

[9] 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.

V.9 John introduces himself, saying that he is our brother, and He like us, has a lot of tribulation in his teaching work, and that he is a devout follower of Jesus. He is on a small island called Patmos which was at the time a part of Greece.

[10] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.

V.10 John was in the �Spirit�. He had a vision, and heard a great voice: like a Trumpet. The trumpet is a symbol of the One to come.
68: The Trumpet will (just) be sounded, when all that are in the heavens and on earth will swoon, except such as it will please Allah (to exempt). Then will a second one be sounded, when behold, they will be standing and looking on!
69: And the Earth will shine with the glory of its Lord: the Record (of Deeds) will be placed (open); the prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward: and a just decision pronounced between them; and they will not be wronged (in the least).
70: And to every soul will be paid in full (the fruit) of its deeds; and (Allah) knoweth best all that they do.
(The Qur'an,
(Yusuf Ali tr),
Surah 39)

Verily We have sounded the Trumpet which is none other than My Pen of Glory, and lo, mankind hath swooned away before it, save them whom God pleaseth to deliver as a token of His grace. He is the Lord of bounty, the Ancient of Days.
(Baha'u'llah,
Tablets of Baha'u'llah,
p. 61)

[11] 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.

V.11 The voice of the Trumpet is The Manifestation! The One Who before Abraham was the "I AM". The Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. He is the One chosen by God for this day and Age. The ONE to Every Day and Age throughout the Universe.
Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that He Who is the All-Merciful hath directed His steps towards the Ridvan and entered it. Guide, then, the people unto the garden of delight which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise. We have chosen thee to be our most mighty Trumpet, whose blast is to signalize the resurrection of all mankind.
(Baha'u'llah,
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah,
p. 30)

[12] And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks

V.12 John sees the churches, mentioned in the previous verse, as seven golden candlesticks. The word Golden means �Divine� and the golden candlesticks known as the churches, are a symbol of the world's great religions as is then greatly emphasized in the next two chapters.

[13] 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.

V.13 In the midst of the golden candlesticks John sees the One who is the Trumpet and that He is 'like unto the Son of man'. The emphasis is on 'like' because this is Christ in His new attire, meaning Baha'u'llah.
One's understanding of the Book of Revelation is dependent upon their sensitivity to spiritual meanings. One must certainly get beyond thinking of Trumpets as musical instruments, of Candlesticks as lighting devices, and garments as wearing apparel.

How great the multitude of truths which the garment of words can never contain! How vast the number of such verities as no expression can adequately describe, whose significance can never be unfolded, and to which not even the remotest allusions can be made! How manifold are the truths which must remain unuttered until the appointed time is come! Even as it hath been said: "Not everything that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor can everything that he can disclose be regarded as timely, nor can every timely utterance be considered as suited to the capacity of those who hear it."
(Baha'u'llah,
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah,
p. 176)

...unto them that have recognized the Repositories of divine Revelation and beheld through His inspiration the mysteries of divine authority, all the verses of God are perspicuous and all His allusions are clear. Such men discern the inner mysteries that have been clothed in the garment of words as clearly as ye perceive the heat of the sun or the wetness of water, nay even more distinctly. Immeasurably exalted is God above our praise of His loved ones, and beyond their praise of Him!
(Baha'u'llah,
Gems of Divine Mysteries,
p. 26)

God grant that through His gracious and invisible assistance, thou mayest divest thy body and soul of the old garment, and array thyself with the new and imperishable attire.
(Baha'u'llah,
The Kitab-i-Iqan,
p. 158)

[14] His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;

V.14 Many Baha'is see this as a direct prophecy and reference to Baha'u'llah. His hair became white at the age of 32 when He was in prison because the prison was very foul and the conditions terrible.
...�iniquities which had riddled the breast of the Bab with bullets, had bowed down Baha'u'llah, and turned His hair white, and caused Him to groan aloud in anguish�.
(Shoghi Effendi,
The Promised Day is Come,
p.90)

"His eyes were as a flame of fire", He alludeth but to the keenness of sight and acuteness of vision of the Promised One, Who with His eyes burneth away every veil and covering,...
(Baha'u'llah,
Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 75)

[15] And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.

V.15
As to the words "brass-like were His feet", by this is meant His constancy upon hearing the call of God that commandeth Him: "Be thou steadfast as thou hast been bidden." [Qur'an (Koran) 11:112] He shall so persevere in the Cause of God, and evince such firmness in the path of His might, that even if all the powers of earth and heaven were to deny Him, He would not waver in the proclamation of His Cause, nor flee from His command in the promulgation of His Laws.
(Baha'u'llah,
Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 76)

[16] 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.

V.16 John tells us that he saw the seven stars, the Revealers of the seven religions, in Baha'u'llah's right hand. John said that His countenance was bright like the noon day sun, and out of His mouth His words were as a two-edged sword.

And further He saith: "Out of his mouth goeth a two-edged sword." Know thou that since the sword is an instrument that divideth and cleaveth asunder, and since there proceedeth from the mouth of the Prophets and the Chosen Ones of God that which separateth the believer from the infidel and the lover from the beloved, this term hath been so employed, and apart from this dividing and separating no other meaning is intended.
(Baha'u'llah,
Gems of Divine Mysteries,
p. 56)

[17] And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:

V.17 Not only was Jesus the I AM, the Alpha, the first before Abraham, He is also the Omega, the Last, meaning forever and all Manifestations to come. Thus Jesus is Baha'u'llah and Baha'u'llah Jesus and they and all other Manifestations are the One I AM.
The infinite and eternal continuous coming of new Manifestations is necessary as humanity progresses in its understanding of the Infinite Creation of God. How greatly we see about us today the many changes that were incomprehensible to former generations.

Wert thou to consider in this station the last of them to be the first, or conversely, thou wouldst indeed be speaking the truth, as hath been ordained by Him Who is the Wellspring of Divinity and the Source of Lordship: ...
(Baha'u'llah,
Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 45)

[18] I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.

V.18 Jesus is explaining to, assuring, John that He will live forever, like those before Him - Abraham, Moses, Krishna, etc. He also said that He has the keys of Heaven and Hell and death. This is very powerful, and means that in this Day and Age, Jesus is continuing as Baha'u'llah.
From time immemorial He hath been veiled in the eternity of His Essence and concealed in the infinitude of His own Being. And when He purposed to manifest His beauty in the kingdom of names and to reveal His glory in the realm of attributes, He brought forth His Prophets from the invisible plane to the visible, that His name "the Manifest" might be distinguished from "the Hidden" and His name "the Last" might be discerned from "the First", and that there may be fulfilled the words: "He is the First and the Last; the Seen and the Hidden; and He knoweth all things!" Thus hath He revealed these most excellent names and most exalted words in the Manifestations of His Self and the Mirrors of His Being.
(Baha'u'llah,
Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 46)

[19] Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

V.19 Jesus is now telling John to write about what he has seen, the things we see happening now and the future for the religions of the world.

[20] 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.

V.20 The mystery of the seven stars and the seven golden candlesticks is that they and many other archetypes to come are the seven religions of the world, and their angels or Messengers from God.
The theme regarding the Seven Churches is very much developed in the next three chapters of the Book of Revelation.

Afterword Chapter One
Note On: Christian Theology "Only Begotten Son"
Jesus said:
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

Our only point in writing the following is that one not allow dogmatic beliefs to prevent them from studying the Scripture with an open mind so that the Holy Spirit can lead them unto the Truth.
[Christians think of Jesus as the actual Son of God, especially when He was born of a virgin. This has always been a mystery, however the word 'beget' in Webster's' Dictionary has two meanings : one to procreate as the father (sire); or, to produce as an effect or outgrowth (a cause). The phrase 'begotten of the dead' gives meaning of a 'Cause', as Christ's purpose was to bring The Word of God to the 'spiritually dead' souls. A different concept of the word 'Son' also now has been described as being a Title. Only when the Return of this same Spirit do we understand more of God's Word. The high station of Christ is described in the following verse, which tells of the Return of His Spirit.]

Christians, Muslims and Baha'is all accept the virgin birth of Jesus.

"First regarding the birth of Jesus Christ. In the light of what Baha'u'llah and 'Abdu'l-Baha have stated concerning this subject it is evident that Jesus came into this world through the direct intervention of the Holy Spirit, and that consequently His birth was quite miraculous. This is an established fact, and the friends need not feel at all surprised, as the belief in the possibility of miracles has never been rejected in the Teachings. Their importance, however, has been minimized."
(From a letter dated December 31, 1937
written on behalf of the Guardian to an individual believer)
(Lights of Guidance,
p. 489)
There are many points of Christian Theology that are dogmatically recited by some individuals when presented with new ideas about religion. We will briefly examine one such idea here. You have undoubtedly often heard the expression " Jesus is the only begotten son of God." What does that mean to you in light of the expression that Jesus is the "first begotten of the dead"? (Rev.1:5) Indeed, what does 'begotten' mean to you?
The term 'begotten' most basically means that a child was conceived from the father's sperm. That would be the difference between a "begotten son" and an "adopted son". In the ancient Greek pantheon the gods had supposedly come down to earth and copulated with women and their off-spring were therefore "god begotten". The writers of the Christian Scriptures were at pains to attribute that status and privilege only to Jesus.
In modern technology to begotten from a particular father means to have come from his sperm, perhaps even by artificial insemination. However, the concept that Jesus was in any such sense "begotten" was disturbing to the Muslims and others. While this has become a dogmatic perception among some in this day it was not a part of early Christian Theology. The meaning seems to be different: For example -
the Nicene Creed reads:

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.

There you will note that He was "begotten of the Father before all worlds", well before the time of His birth from Mary. Another interesting point is that the Bible says in Hebrews:

Hebrews:
11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son.

11:18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:

so that we have it saying that Isaac was the only begotten son of Abraham, but in Chronicles 1 it says:

Chronicles 1:
1:28 The sons of Abraham; Isaac, and Ishmael. (Ishmael was the first born son by Hagar)

and further on:
1:32 Now the sons of Keturah, Abraham's concubine: she bare Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.

Genesis:
16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.

16:15 And Hagar bare A'bram a son; and A'bram called his son's name, which Hagar bare, Ish'mael.

The only point of all this, is that in the Bible saying that Isaac was the "only begotten son" of Abraham - something different must be meant from that meaning attributed to it by those who dogmatically state the phrase.

Baha'u'llah states:

Cry out before the gaze of the dwellers of heaven and of earth: I am the Maid of Heaven, the Offspring begotten by the Spirit of Baha. My habitation is the Mansion of His Name, the All-Glorious. Before the Concourse on high I was adorned with the ornament of His names. I was wrapt within the veil of an inviolable security, and lay hidden from the eyes of men. Methinks that I heard a Voice of divine and incomparable sweetness, proceeding from the right hand of the God of Mercy, and lo, the whole Paradise stirred and trembled before Me, in its longing to hear its accents, and gaze on the beauty of Him that uttered them. Thus have We revealed in this luminous Tablet, and in the sweetest of languages, the verses which the Tongue of Eternity was moved to utter in the Qayy�mu'l-Asma'.
(Baha'u'llah,
Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah,
p. 283)
However, the Baha'i Writings strongly state:

Thou art God, that there is no God but Thee, the One, the Incomparable, the Ever-Abiding, that Thou dost not beget, neither art Thou begotten, that Thou hast no offspring, no partner, nor is there any protector against humiliation but Thee, and Thou art the Lord of all worlds.
(The Bab,
Selections from the Writings of the Bab,
p. 197)

"Let the Surih of Tawhid be translated, so that all may know and be fully persuaded that the one true God begetteth not, nor is He begotten."
(Baha'u'llah,
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf,
p. 41)
In literal interpretations of the mentioned verses, as with many others, those who follow dogmatic beliefs fail to find the true spiritual import of the meaning of the Word of God. While on this point, as others, the Baha'is accept the accuracy and truth of the Bible statements, however some statements are not understood, which causes the erroneous, dogmatic, and oftentimes shrill and intolerant interpretations. Another point of interest is that the Bible says that Adam was the son of God.
Luke 3:38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.
Jesus ALWAYS(?), usually, many times, spoke of Himself as being the Son of Man. None of this is to dispute His Station as the Manifestation of God. One interesting dialogue is as follows:
John:
10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
10:30 I and my Father are one.
10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
10:33 The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.
10:34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?
10:35 If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken;
10:36 Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?
10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.
The real issue is what a Manifestation of God is, and that is beyond our discussion here. It was important to the Jews, and the Disciples talking to them, that Jesus was a descendant of David. Matthew Chapter One goes into some length about the relationship of Jesus to David it is again noted that Jesus was born of a virgin and was therefore perhaps in some sense 'adopted' into the lineage.

To repeat, as we stated at the outset, our only point here is that one not allow dogmatic beliefs to prevent them from studying the Scripture with an open mind so that the Holy Spirit can lead them unto the Truth.

MENU: "Jesus Speaks" Table of Contents : Next Chapter

Bible Verses [1] The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:	V.1 These are the last days of what is to us an 'Old' Cycle and the beginning of a New Cycle. Therefore these days are a very important time. All the Prophets of the past looked forward to this Day.
[2] Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.	V.2 Jesus, through His Angel, gave His Revelation to John who wrote it down. The Revelation is a Prophecy about what is to happen in the "last days" and gives the reasons for what is to occur, at the end of this Old Cycle in which we have lived, and what is to occur in the New Cycle which is just beginning.
[3] 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.	V.3 The voice of God is universal, each of us are enriched by the Word in all the religions, as we find the same prophecy of fulfillment for each religion (that The Manifestation of God will come at the End of the Age to bring Peace on Earth.) The mistake many make is believing that each religion has its own god, but this is of course not so, because there is but One God. By studying other religions we overcome our prejudiced feelings of superiority. Know thou assuredly that the essence of all the Prophets of God is one and the same. Their unity is absolute. God, the Creator, saith: There is no distinction whatsoever among the Bearers of My Message. They all have but one purpose; their secret is the same secret. To prefer one in honor to another, to exalt certain ones above the rest, is in no wise to be permitted. Every true Prophet hath regarded His Message as fundamentally the same as the Revelation of every other Prophet gone before Him... The measure of the revelation of the Prophets of God in this world, however, must differ. Each and every one of them hath been the Bearer of a distinct Message, and hath been commissioned to reveal Himself through specific acts. It is for this reason that they appear to vary in their greatness... (Baha'u'llah, XXXIV Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah)
[4] John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;	V.4 John addressed the seven churches in Turkey, where he had been teaching in Asia. The towns named are now mostly in ruins, no longer significant, so for us the names are archetypes. They each have a meaning that can be related to one of the seven major religions currently in the world. The seven Spirits, are similarly the �seven churches� the seven religions of the world. The Spirit: A. *which is* B. *which was* C. *which is to come* is a Manifestation that is a different Personage, but the same Spirit Manifested to ALL the Seven Spirits, (therefore the Seven Churches / World Religions) that are before His Throne.
[5] 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,	V.5 John wrote that Jesus is a Faithful Witness, and the �first begotten of the dead'. John 1:18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (King James Bible) This concept - "The first begotten of the dead", combined with "the only begotten Son", in consideration that Jesus was born of a virgin, is of such significance to Christians that the Afterword of this chapter is devoted to it.
[6] And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.	V.6 Through Christ, God gave us teachers; ministers and priests ((Ephesians 4:11-12) who studied the Writings, helped the poor in spirit, and became teachers of His Word. The Testimony given to Christ from God will last forever. To grasp the importance of the Book of Revelation, one needs to grasp the importance of its Revealer (Jesus Christ) to the whole universe and all of eternity. Throughout the Infinite and Eternal, long before Abraham, in every galaxy of the Universe, on every planet a Manifestation of God has been that same I AM that is Jesus Christ, and shall continue to be throughout all Eternity.
[7] 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.	V.7 The coming "with clouds" or "in the clouds" does not have a literal meaning. It means that men's minds are "clouded" in recognizing The Promised One. This is the verse where Christ first introduces 'His Return' as being Muhammad, and we could equally say later, as the Bab and Baha'u'llah. It also particularly applies to the Bab who was pierced by bullets. In the first Gospel according to Matthew it is recorded: ... they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ...Inasmuch as the Christian divines have failed to apprehend the meaning of these words, and did not recognize their object and purpose, and have clung to the literal interpretation of the words of Jesus, they therefore became deprived of the streaming grace of the Muhammadan Revelation and its showering bounties. The ignorant among the Christian community, following the example of the leaders of their faith, were likewise prevented from beholding the beauty of the King of glory,... (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 26) A new Revealer always brings a new wave of Spirit, and we can see that today with every technology growing by leaps and bounds such that in almost every aspect of life there is change. What is missing is that mankind has not caught the spiritual message, so we see crime, immorality, wars, etc.. This is what causes the kindreds of the earth to wail as the spiritual powers released are not yet understood.
[8] 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.	V.8 In this verse Christ is saying He is the beginning and the ending; the 'Alpha and the Omega'. He says again: A. *which is* B. *which was* C. *which is to come* This goes beyond the human concept of beginning and end. Thus it is like the saying that �Before Abraham was, I AM', and that not only was it He (Christ) in the previous cycle but that He (Christ) is also the same Spirit that came to all the Prophets of all the religions of the world; and as stated before, throughout the Infinite and Eternal, long before Abraham, in every galaxy of the Universe, on every planet a Manifestation of God has been that same I AM that is Jesus Christ, and shall continue to be throughout all Eternity. It is of course, also the same Spirit to come that came in Baha'u'llah. Christ is telling that His present dispensation is to end, and that He will still be present in the New Dispensation as He was present in all the former Dispensations.
[9] 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.	V.9 John introduces himself, saying that he is our brother, and He like us, has a lot of tribulation in his teaching work, and that he is a devout follower of Jesus. He is on a small island called Patmos which was at the time a part of Greece.
[10] I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.	V.10 John was in the �Spirit�. He had a vision, and heard a great voice: like a Trumpet. The trumpet is a symbol of the One to come. 68: The Trumpet will (just) be sounded, when all that are in the heavens and on earth will swoon, except such as it will please Allah (to exempt). Then will a second one be sounded, when behold, they will be standing and looking on! 69: And the Earth will shine with the glory of its Lord: the Record (of Deeds) will be placed (open); the prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward: and a just decision pronounced between them; and they will not be wronged (in the least). 70: And to every soul will be paid in full (the fruit) of its deeds; and (Allah) knoweth best all that they do. (The Qur'an, (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah 39) Verily We have sounded the Trumpet which is none other than My Pen of Glory, and lo, mankind hath swooned away before it, save them whom God pleaseth to deliver as a token of His grace. He is the Lord of bounty, the Ancient of Days. (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 61)
[11] 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.	V.11 The voice of the Trumpet is The Manifestation! The One Who before Abraham was the "I AM". The Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. He is the One chosen by God for this day and Age. The ONE to Every Day and Age throughout the Universe. Arise, and proclaim unto the entire creation the tidings that He Who is the All-Merciful hath directed His steps towards the Ridvan and entered it. Guide, then, the people unto the garden of delight which God hath made the Throne of His Paradise. We have chosen thee to be our most mighty Trumpet, whose blast is to signalize the resurrection of all mankind. (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 30)
[12] And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks	V.12 John sees the churches, mentioned in the previous verse, as seven golden candlesticks. The word Golden means �Divine� and the golden candlesticks known as the churches, are a symbol of the world's great religions as is then greatly emphasized in the next two chapters.
[13] 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.	V.13 In the midst of the golden candlesticks John sees the One who is the Trumpet and that He is 'like unto the Son of man'. The emphasis is on 'like' because this is Christ in His new attire, meaning Baha'u'llah. One's understanding of the Book of Revelation is dependent upon their sensitivity to spiritual meanings. One must certainly get beyond thinking of Trumpets as musical instruments, of Candlesticks as lighting devices, and garments as wearing apparel. How great the multitude of truths which the garment of words can never contain! How vast the number of such verities as no expression can adequately describe, whose significance can never be unfolded, and to which not even the remotest allusions can be made! How manifold are the truths which must remain unuttered until the appointed time is come! Even as it hath been said: "Not everything that a man knoweth can be disclosed, nor can everything that he can disclose be regarded as timely, nor can every timely utterance be considered as suited to the capacity of those who hear it." (Baha'u'llah, Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah, p. 176) ...unto them that have recognized the Repositories of divine Revelation and beheld through His inspiration the mysteries of divine authority, all the verses of God are perspicuous and all His allusions are clear. Such men discern the inner mysteries that have been clothed in the garment of words as clearly as ye perceive the heat of the sun or the wetness of water, nay even more distinctly. Immeasurably exalted is God above our praise of His loved ones, and beyond their praise of Him! (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 26) God grant that through His gracious and invisible assistance, thou mayest divest thy body and soul of the old garment, and array thyself with the new and imperishable attire. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 158)
[14] His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;	V.14 Many Baha'is see this as a direct prophecy and reference to Baha'u'llah. His hair became white at the age of 32 when He was in prison because the prison was very foul and the conditions terrible. ...�iniquities which had riddled the breast of the Bab with bullets, had bowed down Baha'u'llah, and turned His hair white, and caused Him to groan aloud in anguish�. (Shoghi Effendi, The Promised Day is Come, p.90) "His eyes were as a flame of fire", He alludeth but to the keenness of sight and acuteness of vision of the Promised One, Who with His eyes burneth away every veil and covering,... (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 75)
[15] And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters.	V.15 As to the words "brass-like were His feet", by this is meant His constancy upon hearing the call of God that commandeth Him: "Be thou steadfast as thou hast been bidden." [Qur'an (Koran) 11:112] He shall so persevere in the Cause of God, and evince such firmness in the path of His might, that even if all the powers of earth and heaven were to deny Him, He would not waver in the proclamation of His Cause, nor flee from His command in the promulgation of His Laws. (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 76)
[16] 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.	V.16 John tells us that he saw the seven stars, the Revealers of the seven religions, in Baha'u'llah's right hand. John said that His countenance was bright like the noon day sun, and out of His mouth His words were as a two-edged sword. And further He saith: "Out of his mouth goeth a two-edged sword." Know thou that since the sword is an instrument that divideth and cleaveth asunder, and since there proceedeth from the mouth of the Prophets and the Chosen Ones of God that which separateth the believer from the infidel and the lover from the beloved, this term hath been so employed, and apart from this dividing and separating no other meaning is intended. (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, p. 56)
[17] And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:	V.17 Not only was Jesus the I AM, the Alpha, the first before Abraham, He is also the Omega, the Last, meaning forever and all Manifestations to come. Thus Jesus is Baha'u'llah and Baha'u'llah Jesus and they and all other Manifestations are the One I AM. The infinite and eternal continuous coming of new Manifestations is necessary as humanity progresses in its understanding of the Infinite Creation of God. How greatly we see about us today the many changes that were incomprehensible to former generations. Wert thou to consider in this station the last of them to be the first, or conversely, thou wouldst indeed be speaking the truth, as hath been ordained by Him Who is the Wellspring of Divinity and the Source of Lordship: ... (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 45)
[18] I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.	V.18 Jesus is explaining to, assuring, John that He will live forever, like those before Him - Abraham, Moses, Krishna, etc. He also said that He has the keys of Heaven and Hell and death. This is very powerful, and means that in this Day and Age, Jesus is continuing as Baha'u'llah. From time immemorial He hath been veiled in the eternity of His Essence and concealed in the infinitude of His own Being. And when He purposed to manifest His beauty in the kingdom of names and to reveal His glory in the realm of attributes, He brought forth His Prophets from the invisible plane to the visible, that His name "the Manifest" might be distinguished from "the Hidden" and His name "the Last" might be discerned from "the First", and that there may be fulfilled the words: "He is the First and the Last; the Seen and the Hidden; and He knoweth all things!" Thus hath He revealed these most excellent names and most exalted words in the Manifestations of His Self and the Mirrors of His Being. (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 46)
[19] Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;	V.19 Jesus is now telling John to write about what he has seen, the things we see happening now and the future for the religions of the world.
[20] 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.	V.20 The mystery of the seven stars and the seven golden candlesticks is that they and many other archetypes to come are the seven religions of the world, and their angels or Messengers from God. The theme regarding the Seven Churches is very much developed in the next three chapters of the Book of Revelation.