| MENU: "Jesus Speaks" Table of Contents : Verse Matrix : The Nine Angels/Churches/Religions |
| The Third Angel is addressed as: the Angel of the church of Pergamos. The Pergamos Angel is known throughout the book, as the Angel of the third religion - The Hindu Religion.
The Angel for each religion has a specific mission. |
| THE GREEK WORD PERGAMOS MEANS "POPULAR" 2000-3000 BC REVEALER Krishna
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The Angel of the Hindu Faith is known throughout this book as the third Angel. It is IMPORTANT to understand that this collection of verses is only of when the Hindu Angel is addressed. There are MANY other verses throughout the Book of Revelation that deal with the Hindu religion.
The Hindu Faith is one of the world�s largest religions, and one of the oldest. It began in India where it is still the predominant religion but there are now Hindus throughout the world. The Hindu Religion is also very ancient and there is nothing dogmatic in the Baha'i Teachings saying whether it or the Sabean Religion is the older. Historians and students of comparative religion may dispute as to just which is the older religion. Both of these religion's histories are lost in antiquity and the Baha'i Writings themselves are silent on the subject.
Baha'is believe that religious revelation is continuous and progressive and that, from the very beginning of human history, God has periodically sent divine educators to the world to guide mankind. The appearance of these divine educators -- Krishna, Buddha, Zoroaster, Abraham, Moses, Christ, Muhammad and, in our own age, the Bab and Baha'u'llah -- has signified the founding of a new religion, and yet none of these religions is really new; they are stages in the unfoldment of the same religious truth proceeding from the same God. They teach the same, unchanging spiritual principles, and they differ only in their social teachings, which vary according to the needs of the age in which they were revealed.
The important concept is that the Book of Revelation is addressed to all the religions of the world. Many of those other religions existed centuries before the Christian religion and were the only known religions in large portions of the world for centuries after the Christian religion came into existence. The followers of those religions were and are a part of God's creation and He would not leave them without spiritual guidance anymore than they would be left without the other essentials of life. The ancient religions continue to this day. Each one built beneficial societies and was a part of the progressive development of mankind.
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| Bible Verses [12] And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges;
| Pergamos - Hindu - Commentary
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[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.
| V.13 The Commend: He commends them for their works and holding fast to their prophet Krishna. For those who have suffered poverty, they have received spiritual richness. �Antipas� was well known for his goodness in India, and tells them that He has not forgotten how he became a martyr.
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[14] 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.
| V.14 The Condemn: He condemns them for their worship of idols and following the doctrine of Balaam. The idols are not physical figures but symbols of materialism and worldliness. Balaam was a high priest who went against the Israelites. Balac (also spelled Balak) was a king, who by following Balaam cast a stumbling block before the Israelites for riches. Balak is a symbol of gold and materialism. |
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[15] So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
| V.15 The Nicolaitans are a group that went against religion, and strangely even today many call themselves "non religious". Many of the leaders of thought, although they have been very intellectual and well educated people, they are condemned for this worldly thought.
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[16] Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
| V.16 The Threat: He is asking them to listen to His new message, and says that if they do not, He will come quickly with the "sword of His mouth", which means that until they recognize His new religious teachings they will have tribulation.
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[17] 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.
| V.17 The Refrain: "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches:" He tells them to listen to what the Spirit is saying.
The Promise:
(Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of Abdu'l-Baha v1, p. 132)
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[5] 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.
| V.5 The Third Seal and the Third Angel is associated with the Hindu Faith. The horse of the Third Seal is black and again the horse is a symbol of great power. The rider has a pair of balances, which symbolize judgment. Some have viewed the horseman as coming to render the benefit of justice, but thse scales of the law are just as much a burden on the poor people of the world as the swords of war, death and famine borne by the other riders.
All the peoples of the world are concerned about justice, and many of the old systems are seen as deficient. The caste systems and customs of ancient India are seen to be non-applicable for the present day. These black robed judges of the black horse are faulty, as their balances are no longer balanced. While British law, based upon a foundation from the Old Testament and the Ten Commandments, a pure source, was taken to India, it is evident times have changed and the legal system in the Western world has strayed into strange and oppressive paths. The problem for the 'End of Times' is that justice in the law has become legalisms that are not effective.
(The Bab Selections from the Writings of the Bab p.161) |
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[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.
| V.6 There is presently great concern among all the rulers regarding the economic situation. The specific values of currency and how it relates to the imbalance with other countries - some rich and some poor - are measures that need to be resolved. The present system has brought a threat to the world that there will be such great poverty and starvation that most will not be able to afford food or the other necessities of life in the midst of the GREAT blessings of bounty and plenty that the Lord has bestowed upon on this earth.
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| Bible Verses [10] 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;
| V.10 The third angel sounded: The Third Angel represents another of the ancient existing religions - the Hindu Religion. It remains very prominent in the world, being the predominant religion of India which is at this time the world's second most populous country. It has certainly been a great star in the firmament of religions and saying that the great star (lamp) fell from heaven, indicates that the star left its rightful place and was no longer a lamp that gave the spiritual light that brought harmony, peace and unity, but rather there became inharmony and dissension between the castes and factions.
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[11] 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.
| V.11 The archetype of the falling star may have a special application to this day, and to India, the predominant location of the Hindu Faith. The name of the star is given as 'Wormwood' (a bitter medicinal plant). In a sense it was the crowning scientific achievement of humanity, visible to all the world, and even surpassing the Tower of Babel, in mankind's reach for the heavens. Because in the minds of many men the 'scientific way of life' no longer supported the true spiritual teachings of the Prophets/Manifestations it brought bitterness of life causing many men to die literally and spiritually. The life giving sweet water, the true spiritual knowledge of God's righteousness and justice, had been turned to materialism and bitterness. What should have been an Age of Light, because of scientific attainment, became one instead of spiritual darkness which the Hindu writings call the dark age of Kali Yuga. |
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[9] 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,
| V.9 The third angel is identified with the Hindu religion. The prophecies and descriptions about each of the religions is so amazing when one reads about each of them in order. Without this key to understanding the scriptures there have been all sorts of strange speculations about the nature of the "mark of the beast". If you look about all the religions with an open eye you will see that there is only one, and it is this one in the order of the religions, that predominately places a mark on its forehead, and while the mark itself is not the "mark of the beast", but rather a symbol of "the inner eye" actually located above the pineal gland, we can see here, and in all the religions of the world, that conformance to worldly systems often becomes predominant, and that is the mark of the beast.
(Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah p. 252) Just as people misunderstand they say that "money is the root of all evil", because of the verse -
6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. In reading this verse in the Book of Revelation, some people also miss it, but the operative word here is "AND". In a modern society one has to use money to live. But if instead of just using money for its proper purpose they use money AND worship (love) money, the Beast, material things, and they focus on that so that it consumes their mind and activity - that it becomes the purpose of their life, rather than God, well then, as in the next verse -
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[10] 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:
| V.10 The third angel states that fire and brimstone will be rained upon these who have turned from God and one might observe that much/most of humanity may be deserving of fire and brimstone. Then one might wonder why this people have been singled out for mention in regards to that threat. As with all prophecy, one cannot know its meaning, other than in general terms, until after it occurs, however, one might make the following. The destiny of the Hindus and the Muslims seem to be intertwined in this case, as were (what has now become) the separate countries of Pakistan and India. Together they were not able to find unity, nor apart have they been able to find amity and security. The external result between them, as indicated in this and other passages, may be fire and brimstone, however, all the verses also have interior spiritual meanings as indicated in the quoted below.
(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 12)
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[11] And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.
| V.11 This is what scares people, and well it should. They just don't understand what it means. Do note the problem is worshipping the Beast. The operative word there is again "AND". Someone just properly using money, which is the mark of the Beast's name, need not fear - if they do not worship the Beast, that is to say place their love in money / the Beast rather than loving and worshipping God. Once again, as stated in the long quote (second below) this applies to "all the peoples of the world" who have turned away from spirituality to materiality and "recognized standards" of decency, which is a meaning of taking the mark in their hand. Still, there may be specifics for this particular people, the two factions of which have both developed nuclear weapons, "the smoke of their torment ascending up" being a very visual description of a nuclear mushroom cloud and "the torment lasting for ever and ever" an apt one about the long term effects of radiation.
[1 Qur'an (Koran) 44:10.]
Ere long, thine eyes will behold the standards of divine power unfurled throughout all regions, and the signs of His triumphant might and sovereignty manifest in every land. As most of the divines have failed to apprehend the meaning of these verses, and have not grasped the significance of the Day of Resurrection, they therefore have foolishly interpreted these verses according to their idle and faulty conception. (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 76)
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[12] Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
| V.12 Praise is given to those who keep the commandments of God in times of tests and who have faith as Jesus taught.
[Qur'an (Koran) 29:2] (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries: Verse 32)
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[4] And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.
| V.4 The third vial (associated with the Hindu Faith) was the broad spreading (like on the rivers and fountains) of the rules of human law, rather than God's Principles of Justice, by the officials, bureaucrats and managers who were deprived of spiritual knowledge. All the vials are associated with each of the religions and in the following, 'Abdu'l-Baha shows the relationship to Islam.
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[5] And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.
| V.5 The Third Angel is always associated with the Hindu Faith, which is always associated with 'rivers' and 'waters' which is a curiosity in that the Ganges pays such a prominent part in the Hindu religion.
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[6] For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.
| V.6 The saints and Prophets had their blood shed in bringing God's message to us. Those who are responsible for shedding the blood of Prophets become dark in their spirits.
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[21] 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.
| V.21 This Mighty Angel being the next one mentioned is the Hindu Angel. As peculiar as it may seem, this Angel being interjected into the events surrounding Babylon the Great, it is indicative that it has a role to play. Indeed, it may be the initiating role when the first stone is cast, a great mill stone, symbolic of the first use of a nuclear weapon. Before the events happen we can only speculate upon them. The purpose of prophecy is not to foretell the future but for us to understand it in retrospect so that we will have confidence in the Source. Therefore, at this tme this is mere speculation, but we saw previously (in the unique way that verse 14:15 was treated) the exceptional nature that the Muslims of India (now Pakistan) would/could play regarding nuclear weapons.
For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. King James Bible
(Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, p. 126) |
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