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Jesus Speaks
To The Jewish Religion
The Second Angel is addressed as:
the Angel of the church of Smyrna.
The Second Angel is known throughout the book,
as the Angel of the Second religion -
The Jewish Religion.

The Angel for each religion has a specific mission.

Jewish

THE GREEK WORD SMYRNA MEANS "PERSECUTED"

1250 B.C.

REVEALER Moses

CONCEPT BOX

The Angel of the Jewish Faith is known throughout this book as the second Angel. It is IMPORTANT to understand that this collection of verses is only of when the Jewish Angel is addressed. There are MANY other verses throughout the Book of Revelation that deal with the Jewish religion.

Chapter Two - The Book of Revelation
Bible Verses

[8] And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive;

 Smyrna - Jewish - Commentary

V.8
John is told to write to the SECOND angel, the angel of the church of Smyrna. This is where John had been teaching in Greece (now Turkey). Smyrna is now in ruins, but the word 'Persecuted', is a symbol that relates to the Jewish Faith. The prophet of the Jewish religion is Moses, and is one of the stars in the right hand of Baha'u'llah, bringing all the religions together. Baha'u'llah is 'the first and last' meaning that He is the same spirit of all the Revealers from God. Each and every Prophet is both the First and the Last, as when Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I Am". In the same spirit of Moses, 'Baha'u'llah' has returned, as the 'last', and is again alive, giving guidance to the world.

All the Prophets for all the religions state that They are the same Spirit as the Messengers of the past, and also of the future. Like teachers in school They know the amount that the pupils can understand. Each Prophet brings different rules for the times, however each time they build upon the same message of love and spirituality.

    For they are all but one person, one soul, one spirit, one being, one revelation. They are all the manifestation of the "Beginning" and the "End," the "First" and the "Last," the "Seen" and "Hidden" -- all of which pertain to Him Who is the innermost Spirit of Spirits and eternal Essence of Essences. And were they to say: "We are the servants of God," this also is a manifest and indisputable fact. For they have been made manifest in the uttermost state of servitude, a servitude the like of which no man can possibly attain.
    (Baha'u'llah,
    The Kitab-i-Iqan,
    p. 179)
[9] 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 the synagogue of Satan.

V.9
The Commend:
While there are many economically poor Jews in the world, as a group they have also been known for their great accumulation and control of wealth. They are condemned for spiritual poverty, but at the same time commended for the great spirit that has attributed to many facets of human society in the arts, music, and science which they have achieved in spite of their tribulations of being a persecuted people.

The Condemn:
He says, "I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan." This is one of the most astonishing and distinguishing features of the Jewish religion in that many, even in Israel, say they are not religious, even that they are atheists. They say that they are members of the Jewish family, but that they do not follow the Faith.

    From this review of the history of the Jewish people we learn that the foundation of the religion of God laid by Moses was the cause of their eternal honor and national prestige, the animating impulse of their advancement and racial supremacy and the source of that excellence which will always command the respect and reverence of those who understand their peculiar destiny and outcome. The dogmas and blind imitations which gradually obscured the reality of the religion of God proved to be Israel's destructive influences, causing the expulsion of these chosen people from the Holy Land of their Covenant and promise.
    (Abdu'l-Baha,
    The Promulgation of Universal Peace,
    p. 364)
[10] Fear none of those 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.

 V.10
The Threat:
He tells them not to fear what they will have to suffer. He said they would have tribulation for ten days. (in Ezekiel 4:6 it says each day signifies a year,) which may make it a period of time of ten years. We are all aware of the troubles of Israel especially with their neighboring countries He says that 'the devil' shall cast some in prison. This could be trying times, but He tells them to have faith.

The Promise:
Those who remain faithful will receive a crown of life.

[11] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

 V.11
The Refrain:
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches: The angel is telling them to listen to what Baha'u'llah is telling them.

The Promise:
"He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." The first death is the death of the body. The second death would be death of the spirit - or failure to recognize the Manifestation. When one discovers the new 'light of the age' a new life begins.

    The first life, which pertaineth to the elemental body, will come to an end, as hath been revealed by God: "Every soul shall taste of death." But the second life, which ariseth from the knowledge of God, knoweth no death, as hath been revealed aforetime: "Him will We surely quicken to a blessed life."
    (Baha'u'llah,
    Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 65)
    Each time God sends a Great One to us we are given new life, but the Truth each Manifestation brings is the same. The Truth never changes but man's vision changes. It is dulled and confused by the complication of outward forms.
    (Abdu'l-Baha,
    Abdu'l-Baha in London,
    p. 57)

Chapter Six - The Book of Revelation
[3] And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

 V.3 The second seal is associated with the Second Angel which is the Jewish Religion, but we are not going to dwell on the particular application of each of these qualities being described, as applying to a particular culture, because they actually apply to all the religions and cultures of the world.

It is not wrong to hold the traditional views of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse that the Red Horse is the horse of war. There is plenty in the Book of Revelation to support that view. So much so, that the Apocalypse is often the name given to the Book. However, those events will be dealt with in detail later in the book and it is also possible to see the Red Horse as being the horse of government and technology, which in their proper application bring order and advancement, but here death and destruction.

[4] 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.

 V.4 The red horse of war, the horse showing a symbol for strength, while having universal significance certainly is relevant to the Jewish Faith and the tiny State of Israel which we today see completely surrounded by its enemies. There certainly has been no peace in the Middle East and we continuously observe the Muslims killing one another. The situation today forebodes a time of trouble also foretold elsewhere in the Bible by Jesus and Daniel.

    "great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."
    Matthew 24:21
    "a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time:"
    Daniel 12:1
    (King James Bible)

Chapter Eight - The Book of Revelation
[8] 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;

 V.8 The second angel sounded:

The second angel represents what we identify as the second most ancient of the existing religions - the Jewish Religion. It remains very prominent in the world like a mountain. Indeed, its teachings, such as the Ten Commandments, has been cast into the sea, spreading throughout the world, especially through Christianity and Islam, the adherents of those religions spreading the concept of monotheism and the Decalog to many societies throughout the world.

Each of the old religions have become ineffectual in their ability to bring harmony and love to all of mankind. The mountain burning and being cast into the sea is symbolic of the downfall of its teachings, which is a reference to the spiritual death seen later in Rev.16:3.

Rabbis, many of them sincere, taught dogmatic doctrines. Because these doctrines were antiquated they caused the separation of many of the followers from the practice of the religion and many of those who were associated with the religion, only in name, often prided themselves in saying that they weren't religious, and indeed often became humanists and even atheists. The sea is a symbol of separation from God.

    Because this man's father was a Jew, he considers himself a Jew; not that he has investigated the Reality and proved satisfactorily to himself that Judaism is right; nay, rather he is aware that his forefathers have followed this course, therefore he has held to it himself.
    ('Abdu'l-Baha
    Baha'i Scriptures,
    p. 268)

This relates back to the Second Seal and the second (red) horse of the Apocalypse in Rev. 6:1, in that religious intolerance can progress to war which is the greatest scourge of mankind.

    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. The allusions made in the Scriptures have been unfolded, and the signs recorded therein have been revealed, and the prophetic cry is continually being raised. And yet all, except such as God was pleased to guide, are bewildered in the drunkenness of their heedlessness!
    (Baha'u'llah,
    Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah,
    p. 39)

[9] 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.

 V.9 In the sea of life, those who are separated from God, although they had life, died spiritually. External events may occur; but in another sense one may see ships as representing the vessels that brought the teachings to the people.

One great contribution, and attribute, which we attach to the Jewish Religion is the establishment of law. Not just religious law, but also social law, as we see for example in the Ten Commandments. The Judaic, Christian, Islamic, Baha'i religions all have this common origin. Indeed, through Abraham, all the nations of the earth are said to have been blessed by this star.

    How many are the strangers who have sought shelter beneath the shadow of the tree of Thy oneness, and how numerous the thirsty ones who have panted after the fountain of Thy living waters in Thy days!
    (Baha'u'llah,
    Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah,
    p. 33)

The Great Ships were religions, the institutions brought by the Great Prophets to carry us safely across to the other side of the terrifying world-ocean of the spiritual school of life. In a spiritual sense then, these great institutions brought by the Teachers of the beneficial religious, were the vessels that were destroyed.

    The divine prophets have revealed and founded religion. They have laid down certain laws and heavenly principles for the guidance of mankind. They have taught and promulgated the knowledge of God, established praiseworthy ethical ideals and inculcated the highest standards of virtues in the human world. Gradually these heavenly teachings and foundations of reality have been beclouded by human interpretations and dogmatic imitations of ancestral beliefs. The essential realities which the prophets labored so hard to establish in human hearts and minds while undergoing ordeals and suffering tortures of persecution, have now well nigh vanished. Some of these heavenly messengers have been killed, some imprisoned; all of them despised and rejected while proclaiming the reality of divinity. Soon after their departure from this world, the essential truth of their teachings was lost sight of and dogmatic imitations adhered to.
    ('Abdu'l-Baha,
    Baha'i World Faith,
    p. 225)

Chapter Fourteen - The Book of Revelation
[8] And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

 V.8 Another angel, being the second and therefore identified here with the Jewish religion, comes to tell us that Babylon, the greatest city of the world in its time (which many see as a symbol or archetype of New York, the greatest city of our time), has fallen. It is a system that is corrupt because of materialism, and the people are drawn into it. A city that symbolizes the center of greed, materialism, and immorality in the world. It has been the center of great Jewish contolled financial institutions. So much so that it has been called "Jew Town" and reportedly has more of a Jewish population than any city in Israel.

Both here and in (Rev.18:2) the fall of Babylon is announced by the Angel that we identify with the Jewish Religion. One can never know such meanings until after they have occurred. In any case it is not the events of the physical world that are the most significant but rather those of the spiritual.

    Busy not thyself with this world, for We test the gold with fire, and with gold We test Our servants.

    (Baha'u'llah,
    Arabic Hidden Words No.55)

Chapter Sixteen - The Book of Revelation
[3] 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.

 V.3 The second angel, associated with the Jewish religion, poured the second vial upon the sea who represent the 'learned' who changed the Teachings of the Prophets such that they became without vitality - like the blood of a dead man - and it killed the souls of all who swam in their sea, that is to say all those who were influenced by their false teachings. As we see elsewhere these are really the followers of the 'false prophet' - those who teach sience without religion.

While the second vial is associated with the Second Angel, which is identified with the Jewish Religion, it is an archetype for all the religions and here 'Abdu'l-Baha shows how it applied to the Faith of Islam.

    "The second angel, or power, poured out his cup upon the sea; the sea here symbolizes the Ulama, the great and learned people like, for instance, Caiaphas. The second angel poured upon them the wrath of God, and they as well as those under their authority and guidance, were deprived."

The Ulama is the Islamic hierarchy and Caiaphas refers to the Jewish hierarchy, as he was the person who was responsible for Christ's crucifixion.


Chapter Seventeen - The Book of Revelation
Bible Verses

[1] And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

V.1 In the continuation of this sixth and final series/thread about the Seven Angels, which started in 17:1 with the first angel of the series, this is the Second Angel, which is of course the Jewish Angel.

As with all the religions they expect the coming of their Lord, the Messiah, but they just did not recognize Him in Jesus, or in Muhammad (as neither did the Christians) nor so far in the Bab and Baha'u'llah (as have neither so far the Christians or the Muslims.) However, these Days are just beginning and that is what these events are all about.

    O Jews! If ye be intent on crucifying once again Jesus, the Spirit of God, put Me to death, for He hath once more, in My person, been made manifest unto you. Deal with Me as ye wish, for I have vowed to lay down My life in the path of God. I will fear no one, though the powers of earth and heaven be leagued against Me. Followers of the Gospel! If ye cherish the desire to slay Muhammad, the Apostle of God, seize Me and put an end to My life, for I am He, and My Self is His Self. Do unto Me as ye like, for the deepest longing of Mine heart is to attain the presence of My Best-Beloved in His Kingdom of Glory. Such is the Divine decree, if ye know it. Followers of Muhammad! If it be your wish to riddle with your shafts the breast of Him Who hath caused His Book the Bayan to be sent down unto you, lay hands on Me and persecute Me, for I am His Well-Beloved, the revelation of His own Self, though My name be not His name. I have come in the shadows of the clouds of glory, and am invested by God with invincible sovereignty. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. I, verily, anticipate from you the treatment ye have accorded unto Him that came before Me. To this all things, verily, witness, if ye be of those who hearken. O people of the Bayan! If ye have resolved to shed the blood of Him Whose coming the Bab hath proclaimed, Whose advent Muhammad hath prophesied, and Whose Revelation Jesus Christ Himself hath announced, behold Me standing, ready and defenseless, before you. Deal with Me after your own desires.
    (Baha'u'llah,
    Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah,
    p.101)

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