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A few of the world's 7 million+ Baha'is
This article is
65 to 96 pages long (depending on the printer your use). It is not
copyrighted. It represents the views and opinions of its author and is NOT an
official Baha'i publication. You are free to make copies and distribute or
publish this article without permission from the author.~Darrick T.
Evenson.
This article reveals the Truth about the Second Coming of Christ as
"a thief in the night" and "in the glory of His Father"
and "in the clouds of heaven", the Mark of the Beast, the number of
the Beast ("666"), the "Image" of the Beast", the
meaning of Jesus' Parable of the Lord of the Vineyard, the Great Tribulation,
the Rapture, the Antichrist, the False Prophet, the New World Order, Muhammed
and Islam, Islamic terrorism, the Three Wise Men, Armageddon, the Millennial
Kingdom, and the City of New Jerusalem.
Dear Christian,
Do you believe that Jesus died for your sins
and mine~indeed all the sins of mankind~ upon the Cross of Calvary, and is
the Very Savior of Man?
SO DO WE!
Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God,
born of a virgin by a miraculous act of God?
SO DO WE!
Do you believe that Jesus arose from the
dead, appeared to His disciples, and ascended into Heaven to be at the
right-hand of the Father?
SO DO WE!
Who are "WE"?
We are the Baha'is ("Bah-highz");
the followers of Baha'u'llah ("Bah-HAH-o-LAH").There
are over 7 million of us in over 200 countries and territories in the world
today.
The Spirit of Truth
Q. Who is this Baha'u'llah?
A. He is THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH that Jesus
promised His disciples would come and teach us "all things" as
pertaining to the Kingdom of God on earth!
Note: The Christian’s Spirit of Truth is the Holy
Spirit, the third person of the Triune God, not Baha’u’llah. Wrong Spirit!
The Lord of the Vineyard
He is the 'Lord of the Vineyard' that Jesus
said would come to the Vineyard (The Holy Land) sometime after the
"Son" was sent to the Vineyard and rejected and killed (Mark
12:1-9). In Jesus' Parable of the Lord of the Vineyard He says that
Servants (Prophets) shall be sent to the Vineyard and be beaten, and some
killed, then the Lord of the Vineyard would sent "His only beloved
Son" to the Vineyard, and He would be rejected and killed, then
the 'Lord of the Vineyard' (the Father) would come Himself to the
Vineyard. Baha'u'llah identified Himself as the Manifestation of God Who came
in the station of the "Father". He was exiled from His native Persia (Iran) to Baghdad, then to Turkey, and finally to the prison city of Akka; in what is now northern Israel. He pitched His tent upon Mount Carmel in the years 1890-91; which signified that
the "Kingdom of the Father" had come. In Hebrew, CARM-EL means
"Vineyard of God".
Note: The Father’s station has always been His
own. He never yielded this to Baha’u’llah. Wrong God!
Baha'i Faith=Millennial Kingdom Note: If this is true, there is no Baha’i faith right now due to
the absence of the Millennial age.
The Baha'i Faith is not a
"Church", but an independent World Religion. It seeks to establish
the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. The Baha'i Faith accepts Jesus
Christ as "the Very Savior of Man". It accepts the Bible as the
"Word of God", but not the only Word of God. It accepts
Christianity as a True Religion, but not the only True Religion; nor
the last Revelation of God for mankind. Note: The above statements are a contradiction in terms.
The Bible cannot be the Word of God if it isn’t the only Word of God. Just like Christianity cannot be a
true religion if it isn’t the
only true religion. Jesus said, I am the
Way, the Truth and the Life. Notice the exclusive
term “the” and not “a” truth, way or life.
Baha'is believe that Baha'u'llah is the
Manifestation of God for OUR DAY; meaning our time. We believe He is our
"Heavenly Father" come in the flesh; just as the Son did. They
believe that the Baha'i Faith is the "Kingdom of the Father" that
Jesus spoke about, and that is mentioned in His prayer "Our Father in
Heaven, holy be Thy Name, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on
Earth as it is in Heaven."(Luke 11:2 etc.).
Just about ALL Christians believe that JESUS
shall come and reign for 1000 years over His Kingdom (referred to often as
"The Millennial Kingdom"), but Jesus nowehere says this! The
Bible doesn't say this! Jesus preached that the "Father's Kingdom"
would come, and it has!
Note: Rev 20:4
And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given to
them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the
testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not
worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark upon their
forehead and upon their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (NAS)
Jesus~the Son of God
Baha'is also accept Jesus as a Manifestation
of God and the Only Virgin-born Son of God, but not the ONLY Son of
God. Even Adam is referred to as "the Son of God". (Luke 3:38).
Jesus is the only Son of God we know of to be born of a virgin. Hense, He is
God's Only Virgin-born Son, but not His only Son. All the
Manifestations of God are the Sons of God.
Note: Baha’u’llah and Adam were NOT God, unlike
Jesus who 100% God, 100% Man. Big difference!
Even Paul writes that there are "Sons
of God" other than Jesus:
"For the
earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of
the Sons of God." (Romans 8:10)
Adam, in the Gospel
of Luke, is called "the Son of God" (Luke 3:38). Jesus is not the "ONLY" Son of
God, but the Only Virgin-born Son of God. In that respect He is
unique among the Sons of God.
Note: They are sons of
God by adoption and not by nature. Jesus is the Son of God by nature!
Baha'is are those who not only accept Jesus
as their Lord and Savior, but they also accept Baha'u'llah as the promised
"Spirit of Truth" Who was to come and teach us "all
things" pertaining to the Kingdom of God the Father.
Note: Wrong spirit and certainly not of truth.
There are Baha'is in just about every
country on the globe. They belong to almost every ethnic group. Most of them
are former Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Protestants, Nestorians, Jacobites,
Coptics, Anglicans, Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses,
Pentecostals, Christadelphians, Mormons, Muslims, Methodists, Hindus, Sihks,
Jains, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, New Agers, Pagans, Wiccans, Animists,
Atheists, and Agnostics. They have heard the Words of Baha'u'llah
being recited, and they have recognized the Father's Voice and have responded
to His call to become "quickeners of mankind".
Salvation for all Humanity
The Message of Baha'u'llah is that Mankind
is unjust and sinful and will incure the Wrath of God upon this planet unless
the Justice of God is established worldwide.
Humanity's only future and hope as a
living species upon this planet is the establishement of the World Order of
Baha'u'llah; otherwise known as The New Jerusalem.
Note: This is direct contradiction to the
Christian hope that was accomplished by the shed blood of Jesus at Calvary.
The Baha'i Faith is not a sect, or cult, or
anti-Christian conspiracy. It is nothing more or less than the fulfillment
of Bible prophecy concerning the coming of the Kingdom of God on earth.
A Brief History of the Baha'i Faith
About 600 years after Jesus a Prophet arose
in Arabia named Muhammed. He was a pious man who
worked as a traveling merchant. During His travels He met many Jews,
Christians, Zoroastrians, Gnostics, and Hanifs (pure monotheists). He decided
to be a Haneef; a pure worshipper of the One God. This enraged the members of
His clan, the Quraysh, because they were the keepers of the Ka'aba; the cubic
temple built by Abraham, but it became filled with idols. Muhammed hated
idols. Yet, he became known as "Amin" (Arabic: "Faithful and
True One") because of His honest business dealings.
Note: This contradicts Hebrews 1:1-2 “God, after He spoke long ago to the
fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in
His Son (Jesus), whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom
also He made the world.” (NAS) This debunks Mohammed and Baha’u’llah’s
teachings!
Muhammad used to fast, pray, and meditate
for days and weeks at a time in a cave in a hill near His home in Mecca. One night as He was meditating a
man appeared in the cave and shouted "RECITE!" Muhammad though the
"man" was a thief; because He entered the cave unannounced.
Muhammad thought the man was a thief in the night. The "man"
again said to Muhammad "RECITE!" Muhammad thought He meant
"READ" (the word for read and recite are the same in Arabic) and
told the man He couldn't read. The man shouted again, "RECITE!"
Muhammad became perturbed and ran out of the cave, but then He saw the man
standing in the air on the horizon everywhere He looked. He knew this
was an Angel and not a man.
The Angel (later identified as the Archangel
Gabriel) told Muhammed to "Recite" the Verses of God that the Holy
Spirit would inspired Him with. From that day on Muhammed would go into trances
and begin to recite an esquisite poetry in Arabic; one so rhythmic and
exalted that~when heard by Arabic speakers~it brings them to tears. In
Arabic, the word for "The Reciting" is "Al-Qur'an". His
divinely-inspired poems were remembered by His followers, written down, and
collected into one volume that became known as the Qur'an
("Khoor-rahn"). Over a billion people today believe that
Muhammed was a true Prophet of God. Over 7 million of them are Baha'is.
The Prophet gathered around followers; known
as "Muslims". He said that the religion He espoused was
"Islam"; the Arabic word for "peaceful submission". Islam
was the "peaceful submission" of one's will to the Will of God. A
"Muslim" meant a "peaceful submitter" to His Will.
The pagan Arabs hated the Muslims and
fought with them whenever they had a chance, but the Muslims (always
outnumbered) won most of the battles; led by the Prophet carrying a bow and
arrow (Muhammed was an archer). The Prophet went about conquering pagan Arab
tribes, and making alliances with Arab Jewish tribes. He protected
Christians, and never fought against them.
Nonsense!
The Prophet's first convert and most
dedicated follower was 'Ali Ibn~Talib; his cousin and the husband of His
daughter Fatimah. At Muhammed's death there arose a controversy as to who
would succeed Him. Muhammed said that He was the "seal of the
Prophets" and no Prophet would succeed Him. Even though 'Ali was to be
His rightful and legal successor, the majority of Muslims voted and chose an
older and (they thought) wiser Muslim to be the "Khaleef"
("Successor") of the Prophet. Eventually 'Ali was made Khaleef, but
he was opposed by an evil group of Gnostics who became Muslim in name only:
the Ummayids. They decided to kill 'Ali and his sons; so they and their sons
would rule the Muhammedan Empire. They suceeded in killing 'Ali, and they
also eventually killed his sons Hasan and Husayn. The sons of Hasan went into
hiding in Peria; beyond the rule of the Ummayyids.
The followers of 'Ali in Persia and southern Iraq became known as the "Party of
'Ali'"; or the "Partisans" (Arabic: "Shi'a") for
short. 'Ali and his firstborn male descendants became known as the Imams
("Leaders") of Shi'a Islam. The Muslims who did not follow 'Ali or
his party became known as Sunni ("Soonee") Muslims.
There were 12 Imams in Shi'a Islam. The 12th
Imam was known as the Imam Mahdi (Leader Rightly-Guided). He disappeared soon
after becoming Imam, but Shi'a prophecies said he would appear in the Last
Days; to prepare the way for the return of Jesus, and to establish justice in
the world.
The Bab
In 1844, in Shiraz, Persia (Iran), 'Ali
Muhammed Shirazi (a descendant of Muhammed and 'Ali) proclaimed that He was
the promised Imam Mahdi of Islam. He called Himself "Al Bab"; which
means "The Gate" of God. At first, many Mullas (clergymen) accepted
His claims, but then He began to teach things which are considered
"heretical" in Islam. He taught that Jesus was the "Son of
God", that He was crucified (Muslims believe another man was crucifixed
in His place). He taught that women should not wear veils. He taught many
things that Orthodox Muslims considered heretical and evil. He was opposed,
and was imprisoned and tortured. The Mullas (Muslim clerics) persecuted His
disciples, and had many of them arrested an tortured. Two young Babis whose
parents were killed tried to assasinate the Shah of Iran (who refused to
protect the Babis), and shot him while he was riding on his horse. But their
pistols carried only bird-shot. Enraged, the Shah ordered the arrest of all
Babis; who then armed and tried to defend themselves and their families.
About 20,000 of His followers~called Babis ("bah-beez")~were
killed.
In 1850 The Bab was taken to Tabriz
(northwestern Iran) and tied up in a public square to be executed. The Muslim
clerics brought in an Armenian company of riflemen to execute Him; because
Shi'a Muslim prophecies said that the Imam Mahdi would be killed by Muslims,
and the clerics did not want the Babis to claim The Bab's death a
"fulfillment of prophecy". The 750 Armenian riflemen fired, and
when the smoked cleared, The Bab was gone! The bullets had severed His robes.
He was found later back in His cell; finishing one last epistle to His
followers.
The Bab was executed and the Babis were persecuted by the Shi'a Muslims
The Armenian Christian regiment considered
it a miracle and sign from God and utterly refused to fire upon The Bab
again. So, a Muslim regiment had to be brought in. They fired, and The Bab
was dead.
Baha'u'llah
One of The Bab's main disciples was Mirza
Husayn 'Ali Nuri; a Persian of royal birth who was a descendant of King David
as well as King Cyrus of Persia. The Bab gave each of His disciples new
names. Mirza Husayn 'Ali Nuri became known as Baha'u'llah
("bah-hah-o-lah"); which in Arabic means "THE GLORY OF
GOD". He was known as "The Father of The Poor" because of His
great charity and concern for them. He was arrested and put into the 'Black
Pit' of Tehran; the most fowl prison in all of Persia. After four months in
the Black Pit, Baha'u'llah was exiled with His family and other Babis to
Baghdad, in what was then part of the Turkish Ottoman Empire.
The Bab said that He was just a forerunner
of One greater than Himself; Whom He called "He Whom God Would Make
Manifest". In 1863 Baha'u'llah announced to the other Babis in Baghdad
that He was "He Whom God Would Make Manifest". Most of the Babis
knew of His wisdom and miracles already, and readily accepted His claim. They
became known as Baha'is ("bah-highz"); the followers of
BAHA'U'LLAH.
The Baha'is began to convert Shi'a Muslims
in Baghdad, and this enraged the local Muslim clerics. So, they petitioned
the Sultan of Turkey, and Baha'u'llah and His followers were exiled again;
this time to Adrianople (Erdine), and then again to the prison city of Akka,
in Palestine (now northern Israel).
Baha'u'llah was a political prisoner, but He
became well-beloved by the people of Akka; because of His charity, kindness,
and His miracles. The Muslims thought He was a Muslim holy man.
From 1868 to 1874 Baha'u'llah wrote epistles
to the Pope, the Emperor of Russia,the Queen of England, the Kings of France
and Austria, and well as others. He prophecied of them and their kingdoms,
and His prophecies were all fulfilled. He announced to them that He was the
Father come down to earth. He was the Promised One. He instructed that the
remains of The Bab be entombed in a special shrine on the northern slopes of
Mount Carmel. Such a shrine remains today, and is one of Israel's major
tourist attractions.
The Shrine of The Bab
In the years 1308 A.H. (1890-91 A.D.)
Baha'u'llah pitched His tent upon Mount Carmel, and revealed the Tablet of
Carmel; signifying that the "Lord of the Vineyard" had come and
that the "Kingdom of the Father" had been established.
Baha'u'llah died in 1892. At the time of His
death many angels were seen or heard around His mansion in Bahji; which
remains to this day the most sacred Shrine in the Baha'i World.
'Abdu'l-Baha
Baha'u'llah's successor was His Son Abbas
Effendi; who became known as 'Abdu'l-Baha (Arabic: "Servant of
Glory"). 'Abdu'l-Baha was knighted by the British in 1920 for His work
among the poor and dying. He was the "Mother Teresa" of His day. He
washed and fed and clothed and cared for the sick, diseased, and dying; even
those their own families would not care for.
When American and British Baha'is came to
visit 'Abdu'l-Baha in Akka they asked what they could do to serve God.
'Abdu'l-Baha replied they should go upstairs and wash and feed the sick and
dying; because when they served them they were serving God.
Many of the American and British Baha'is who
visited 'Abdu'l-Baha were wealthy (in a day when travel was extremely
costly). 'Abdu'l-Baha would personally serve the Baha'is; often serving their
black servants (who came along on the trip)first.
'Abdu'l-Baha traveled to Europe and to the
United States in the years 1910 to 1912. He prophesied of World War I. He was
entertained by the elite of Europe. While in England they purchased for Him a
first-class ticket on a new luxury ship headed for America. He sold the
ticket, gave the money to the poor, and bought a much less expensive ticket
on a ship far less luxurious. His firstclass ticket was for the maiden voyage
of the Titanic.
'Abdul-Baha visited Baha'is in New York
City, Maine, Chicago, Denver, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco. He spoke
before Christians, Unitarians, Theosophists, Jews, Mormons, and agnostics. He
told Christians that they expected Christ to return in "the glory of His
Father", and that He had returned!
Note: Well, did he? NO! False God.
He told Unitarians that they wanted World
Peace and Race Unity, but these could not be achieved without the Hand of
God, and the Hand of God was working through the Baha'i Faith. He told
Theosophists that they if they believed there was no religion higher than
"truth" then they should become Baha'is; because it was the latest
edition of "Truth". He told Jews that they needed to accept Jesus
as "the very Saviour of man" and not cling to the traditions and
explanations of their fathers. He told agnostics that materialism was not the
key to happiness in this life, and it would prove to be unrewarding in the
Afterlife; for this life was only a preparation for the Afterlife. He
told all who would listen that they needed to end racism, and love all
peoples and races no matter their color or nationality or class. He told all
who would listen that the mission of Baha'u'llah was to unite mankind
into an international brotherhood of man in which peace, justice, equality,
and harmony would reign.
'Abdu'l-Baha was a man known to have never
angered. He was known for His charity, care for the poor and dying, and
kindness everywhere. Baha'is believe He was a "Perfect Man"; a
human being Who was not a Manifestation of God nor even a lesser Prophet, but
One Who achieved perfection in morality (this is why Baha'is use
capitals in reference to Him). He passed away in 1921.
Sir Abbas Effendi 'Abdu'l-Baha (1844-1921)
Shoghi Effendi
The successor of 'Abdu'l-Baha was His
grandson Shoghi Effendi Rabbani; who was also the great-grandson of The Bab.
Shoghi Effendi became the "Guardian" of the Baha'i Faith. He worked
tirelessly for many years to organize and promote the Baha'i Faith throughout
the world. Although not considered to be a "Prophet" by Baha'is,
Shoghi Effendi correctly predicted the Second World War, race riots in
America, the Internet, as well as things still in the future such as
mankind's first contact with intelligent life on other worlds.
The Guardian warned the Baha'is against
racism, classism, nationalism, and communism. He forbade them to drink
alcohol, to engage in fornication (sex outside of marriage), to engage in
homosexual acts, to perform or have abortions, to backbite or gossip, to
oppose legal governments, to engage in politics (except for voting), to kill
animals needlessly, to kill or harm other humans except in self-defense, etc.
He admonished them to work for race unity and the end of prejudice of all
kinds, the equality of men in women in all occupations, the inclusion of
women in government, education, and law, and the inclusion of Baha'is in the
United Nations and other humanitarian and philanthropic organizations and
movements.
Shoghi Effendi was not a "Perfect
Man" by any means. He is considered to be just an ordinary human being
with an extraordinary sacred role. But he was "under the shadow" of
Baha'u'llah, and his interpretations are considered infallible. He died in
1957.
Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957)
The Universal House of Justice
In 1963 the Universal House of Justice was
established by Baha'is in Haifa, Israel. It is the Governing Body of the Baha'i
Faith worldwide. It has 9 Members which are elected every 5 years by
delegates chosen by each National Spiritual Assembly of Baha'is. Baha'is
consider the "House" to be guided by the Holy Spirit; under the
shadow of Baha'u'llah, but only in their collective pronouncements.
Note: The Holy Spirit who is the Spirit of truth
would NEVER direct people to false religions like the Bahai faith.
The 9 Members of the House are not
considered to be Prophets lesser or otherwise; nor even "Seers" and
certainly not "Perfect Men". They are merely ordinary Baha'is whom
other Baha'is believe have the knowledge, commitment, education, experience,
and faith to carry-out the duties of the House.
The Seat of the Universal House of Justice
is a large Greek-columned building located in the Baha'i World Centre, on the
northern slopes of Mount Carmel, in Haifa, Israel.
Seat of the Universal House of Justice
Members of the House do not "campaign"
to be elected; this is forbidden. Rather, they are Baha'is who have become
known because of their extraordinary service to the Cause of God.
The Manifestations of God
Baha'is believe in certain Major Prophets
they refer to as "Manifestations of God". They include:
*Adam
prophet
*Noah prophet
*Abraham prophet
*Moses prophet
*Krishna
x
*Zoroaster x
*Buddha x
*Jesus GOD
*Muhammed x
*The Bab x
*Baha'u'llah x
Note: They are ALL false gods and prophets
except Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses were prophets of old and Jesus is the
God-Man
Baha'is believe that in one sense all of
these Manifestation of God are equal, but in another sense they have various
ranks or stations. All of them had unique missions to perform on earth.
Baha'u'llah~Our Father in Heaven
Note: God the Father doesn’t have flesh and
bone!
Baha'is believe that Baha'u'llah is our
"Heavenly Father". He is God the Father. Baha'is do not believe
that the Essence of God can incarnate. However, Baha'is believe that
Baha'u'llah is the Manifestation of the "Father"; just as
Yeh'o'shua (Jesus' true name) was the Manifestation of the "Son".
The relationship of the Messengers of God with the Son (Jesus) and the Father
(Baha'u'llah) is explained in Jesus' Parable of the Lord of the Vineyard
in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 12.
Note: Jesus is the essence of God incarnate in
Christianity, making the Bahai faith incompatible with Christianity.
The Word of God
Baha'is believe that the Bible is the Word
of God, but not the only Word of God. Baha'is accept the Qur'an and
the Holy Writings (Baha'i books of scripture) as the Word of God along with
the Bible.
Note: The Qur’an contradicts the Holy Bible and
God has spoken to us in these last days through His Son Jesus (Hebrews 1:1-2)
therefore Allah, Mohammed and Baha'u'llah are false prophets and gods.
Heaven and Hell
Baha'is do not believe that
"Heaven" or "Hell" are literal geographical places, but
conditions of the soul. When we die we go on to the next World. If our souls
have the condition of Heaven then the next world will appear as Heaven. If
our soul in this life is in the condition of Hell then the next world will
appear as Hell.
Note: Another denial of what the Holy Bible
teaches.
Baha'is believe that "Hell" is a
condition of the soul, but that even the most evil souls can (but not
necessarily will) progress in the Afterlife and change their condition
from "Hell" to "Heaven". This change does not take place
by merely "wishing" for the change, but when a soul begins to
sincerely repent and take upon itself spiritual qualities. Evil men may
outwardly appear "righteous" in this dimension, but in the next
world spirituality cannot be faked or fabricated. Only those souls that truly
have a desire to repent and serve God instead of "Self" will make
progress in the Afterlife.
9 Sacred Duties
Baha'is basically have 9 sacred duties:
*Worshipping only the One True God.
Note: They don’t therefore their
law of sacred duty is broken.
*Keeping the Baha'i Holy Laws.
*Observing the Baha'i Holy Days.
*Praying at least once per day.
*Fasting during the daylight hours during the Baha'i Month of 'Ala.
*Teaching the Faith to others.
*Obeying the Universal House of Justice and other Baha'i Institutions.
*Giving a portion of their income to the Cause of God and to charity.
*Making at least one pilgrimage during their lives (if they are healthy and
can afford it) to the Holy Baha'i Shrines in the Holy Land.
The 9-Pointed Star
A popular Baha'i symbol is the 9-pointed
star. It represents the number 9; which for Baha'is is sacred. In Arabic, the
letter B (Bah) has the value of 2, and the letter H (Hah) has the value of 7.
2 + 7 = 9. The letters B and H make the sound of "Baha"; which in Arabic
means "Glory". Baha'is are the follower of BAHA.
BAHA means Glory.
BAHA'I means belonging to Glory.
Jesus said the "Son of Man" would
come "in the Glory of His Father". In Arabic, Baha'u'llah
means "The Glory of God (the Father)".
Baha'i Houses of Worship
Baha'i Houses of Worship are nine-sided, and
have 9 entrances. They are places of prayer, meditation, singing the praises
of the Lord (without musical instruments), and the reciting of the Word of
God. The Baha'i Temple in New Delhi, India, is a magnificent structure that
receives more visitors per year than any other religious structure.
The Baha'i "Lotus Temple" near New Delhi, India
Eventually, Baha'i Houses of Worship (of
various sizes) will be built in every city and town; with hospices,
humanitarian centers, and schools surrounding them.
But today, Baha'is meet in the homes of
other Baha'is for worship and social meetings, or in small buildings called
"Baha'i Centers".
The 19-Day Feasts
19 is also a sacred number with Baha'is. The
Baha'i year is divided into 19 months of 19 days each. Baha'is meet every 19
days for the "19-Day Feast"; sort of an Agape Feast for Baha'is.
During the Badi Month of 'Ala (19 days) Baha'is fast during the daylight
hours and break the fast at night during communal meals.
Jesus~The Very Savior of Man
Unlike Muslims, Baha'is DO believe that
Jesus is the "Son of God". Like Muslims, they believe He was virgin-born.
Like Muslims, they believe in His miracles. Unlike Muslims, they
believe He was crucifixed and rose from the dead. Baha'is believe that Jesus
is "the very Savior of man". (Promulgation of Universal Peace,
p.63)
Baha'is believe that Jesus' mission was to
offer Himself "as a ransom for the sins and iniquities of all
mankind." (Gleanings, p.100). The mission of Baha'u'llah, however, was
to unite Humanity into the literal Kingdom of God the Father on
earth; otherwise known as the New Jerusalem.
Christians the world over believe that God's
Kingdom will be established when Christ comes to rule as "King of
kings" and "Lord of lords". Baha'is believe He has already
returned: in the Person of Baha'u'llah.
Note: This proves that Bahai have a different
christ, king and lord than Christians. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 But I am afraid, lest as the serpent
deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds
should be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to
Christ. For if one comes and preaches
another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different
spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not
accepted, you bear this beautifully. (NAS)
To understand how Jesus could return
"in" the Person of Baha'u'llah one must only continue reading.
Christianity
Shoghi Effendi (1897-1957 A.D.) was the
Guardian of the Baha'i Faith. He was the grandson of 'Abdu'l-Baha and the
great-grandson of Baha'u'llah. His interpretations of the Faith are inspired
by the Holy Spirit, and thus binding upon all Baha'is everywhere. Regarding
Christianity he wrote:
"As to the
position of Christianity, let it be stated without any hesitation or
equivocation, that is divine origin is unconditionally acknowledged, that the
Sonship and Divinity of Jesus Christ are fearlessly asserted, that the divine
inspiration of the Gospel is fully recognized,....The Founder of the
Christian Faith is designated by Baha'u'llah as the 'Spirit of God', is
proclaimed as the One Who 'appeared out of the breath of the Holy Ghost,' and
is even extolled as the 'Essence of the Spirit.' His mother is described as
'that veiled and immortal, that most beauteous countenance,' and the station
of her Son eulogized as the 'station which hath been exalted above the
imaginings of all that dwell on the earth,'...." ( The Promised Day
is Come, pp.109-10)
Bunk!
The Son of God
Besides being a Manifestation of God,
Baha'is also believe that Jesus was the "Son of God" and, as
'Abdu'l-Baha (Baha'u'llah's eldest son and Exemplar of the Faith) said, He
was "the very Savior of man". (The Promulgation of Universal
Peace, pp.62-3).
Baha'u'llah calls Jesus:
- "The
Son"(TBA 9:2:2)
- "The
Son of God"(WOB 105)
- "The
Lord of All Being (ESW 100:156) If He is Lord of All Being, why Mohammed and Baha'u'llah?
May the reader see the contradiction!
- "The
Lord of the Visible and the Invisible"(GWB 57:23)
- "The
Peerless Beauty" (KIQ 22:1:19)
- "The
Daystar of the Heaven of Divine Revelation" (KIQ 132:2:43)
- "The
Spirit of God" (ESW 81:130)
'Abdu'l-Baha calls
Jesus:
- "The
Messiah"(SWA 42:19:11)
- "The
Lord Christ"(SWA 161:139:6)
- "The
Lord Jesus Christ"(Paris Talks 88)
- "The
Son of God" (SAQ 63)
- "The
Holy Being" (SWA 46:20:2)
- "The
Word of God" (SWA 44:20:1)
- "His
Holiness Christ" (Paris Talks 276)
- "The
very Savior of man" (PUP 63)
If Jesus is all these things, there is no need
for Mohammed and Baha'u'llah. May the reader see the contradiction!
Baha'is accept that
Jesus was born of a VIRGIN. It was a miracle; a supernatural act by the Holy
Spirit. Jesus is not the only "Son of God", but the Only Virgin-born
Son!
Jesus was unique among the Sons of
God in that He was born of a virgin.
Louis G. Gregory, an African-American Baha'i
who visited 'Abdu'l-Baha in Haifa, Israel, with a small group of American Baha'is,
asked Him about Jesus' standing and station among the Manifestations of God.
He is what Mr. Gregory recorded:
'Abdu'l-Baha:
"Jesus is the Perfect Mirror, in which the bounties and Perfections of
God are reflected. Jesus is not separate from God, since His is the
perfection of Divine Knowledge."
Mr.
Meakin asked: "Are not all the Prophets Manifestations reflecting the
Word?"
'Abdu'l-Baha:
"Yes, but the Word as reflected in jesus has a special meaning. The Sun
shines in all the months, but in July it is brightest."
(Pilgrim's Notes of
Loius G. Gregory, p.10 online)
The Three Ranks of the Manifestations
Baha'u'llah wrote that all the
Manifestations of God were of equal rank in the Station of Essential Unity:
It is clear and
evident to thee that all the Prophets are the Temples of the Cause of God, Who have appeared
clothed in divers attire. If thou wilt observe with discriminating eyes, thou
wilt behold them all abiding in the same tabernacle, soaring in the same
heaven, seated upon the same throne, uttering the same speech, and
proclaiming the same Faith. Such is the unity of those Essences of Being,
those Luminaries of infinite and immeasurable splendour! Wherefore, should
one of these Manifestations of Holiness proclaim saying: 'I am the return of
the Prophets," He verily, speaketh the truth. In like manner, in every
subsequent Revelation, the return of the former Revelation is a fact, the
truth of which is firmly established." (Gleanings, pp. 51-2)
Yet Baha'u'llah
speaks of another Station, the Station of Distinction:
"The other
station is the station of distinction, and pertainieth to the world of
creation, and the limitations thereof. In this respect, each Manifestation of
God hath a distinct individuality, a definitely prescribed mission, a predestined
revelation, and specially designated limitations. Each of them is known by a
different name, characterized with a particular Revelation. Even as He saith:
'Some of the Apostles We have caused to excel the others. To some God
hath spoken, some He hath raised and exalted. And to Jesus, Son of Mary, We
gave manifest signs, and We strengthened Him with the Holy Spirit.' It is
because of this difference in station and mission that the words and
utterances flowing from these Wellsprings of Divine knowledge appeare to
diverge and differ. Otherwise, in the eyes of them that are initiated into
the mysteries of Divine Wisdom, all Their utterances are, in reality, but the
expressions of one Truth." (Gleanings, p.52)
The Holy Qur'an
("khoor-ran"), the Holy Book of Islam, says in one verse that no
distinction should be made between the Messengers of God:
"No
distinction do We make between any of them." (Qur'an 2:136)
Yet in another
verse it says that the Messengers of God do not all have equal rank
(station):
"Some of the
Apostles We have caused to excel the others. To some God hath spoken,
some He hath raised and exalted. And to Jesus, Son of Mary, We gave manifest
signs [miracles], and We strengthened Him with the Holy Spirit." (Qur'an
2:253)
Baha'u'llah taught that all the
Manifestation of God have _two stations_:
- The
Station of Essential Unity
- The
Station of Distinction
In the Station of
Essential Unity, all the Manifestations of God are equal in rank. All of them
are like perfect mirrors which reflect the Attributes of God. However, in the
Station of Distinction their ranks are not equal. Baha'u'llah taught that in
the Station of Distrinction the Manifestations of God have unequal ranks,
different names, and unique missions on earth.
'Abdu'l-Baha taught that there were
essentially three ranks among the Manifestations of God:
- Father
- Son
- Servant/Messenger
'Abdu'l-Baha wrote:
"You have
asked me two questions: That if the same Spirit is manfest in all the
Manifestations and Prophets, then what is the distinction or difference
between Christ (or rather Jesus) and the other Prophets; also between Father
and Son? Know that the human spirit is one, but it manifests itself in
various members of the body in a certain (measure or) form. The human spirit
is existent in the sight (eyes); it is also existent in the brain, which is
the location of great functions and powers; it is also existent in the heart,
which organ is largely connected with the brain of the center of the mind,
and the heart, of that center which is connected with the brain, has a
distinct and separate function, effect, and appearance. In this connection,
the hair and nails have no command (or direct feeling). Figuratively
speaking, the Father is the center of the brain and the Son is the center of
the heart; the rest of the Prophets are members and parts." (Tablets
of 'Abdu'l-Baha, pp.102-3)
Notice the three ranks:
- Father
(Brain)
- Son
(Heart)
- Other
Prophets (other less-important parts of the body)
Mohammed and Baha'u'llah are hang-nails that
need to be clipped off.
In Jesus' Parable of the Lord of the
Vineyard (Mark chapter 12) a man (the Father) plants a vineyard and
rented it to husbandmen. Then the Father sends His servants (messengers) to
tell the husbandmen(uninspired religious leaders) to clean up His vineyard
and to prepare it for harvest. The husbandmen beat the servants (messengers)
and send them back to the Lord of the Vineyard. Then the Lord of the Vineyard
sends his only Son to the vineyard, and the hirelings kill the Son. Jesus
said:
"6 Having yet
therefore one Son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying,
They will reverence my Son.
7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us
kill him, and the inheritance shall be our's.
8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
9 What shall therefore the Lord of the Vineyard do? He will come and destroy
the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others." (Mark 12:6-9)
The Vineyard is
the Holy Land. The Holy
Land is otherwise known as "Israel" or "Palestine". The
"man" is the Father who had but one beloved Son. The servants that
the "man" sends are the Prophets of Israel. The Husbandmen are
uninspired religious leaders, and they beat the Servants (Prophets) and chase
them away. The only beloved Son is Jesus who was killed by the Husbandmen
(the uninspired religious leaders). Jesus said that the "Lord of the
Vineyard" will come Himself to the Vineyard and set all things
right.
Jesus said that the Father Himself would
come to this Earth! Specifically, the Holy Land!
The Father is omnipresent!
Baha'u'llah was a native of Persia (Iran). He was exiled to Baghdad in 1853, and
then to Turkey, and finally to the Holy Land in 1868. Baha'u'llah did not go
to the Holy Land of His own free will, but was exiled there as a political
prisoner.
But the Bible says "God is Spirit"
(John 4:24). God the Father is pure Spirit, and can't incarnate as a man!
* Was not Jesus a "Spirit" before
His incarnation?
Was not Jesus "God"?
Was not God then a "God-Man"?
Is not Christ still a Spirit?
Baha'is do not believe that Jesus still has
a physical body, but that He can, as an omnipotent Spirit, appear
as a man and materialize a body any time He wishes to; just as angels do, or
as the LORD did when He appeared to Abraham and ate with Him in the
heat of the day (Genesis 18:8).
I John 4:1-3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see
whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the
world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the
flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is
not from God; and this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have
heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. (NAS)
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one
mediator also between God and men, the
man Christ Jesus, (NAS)
Luke 24:39 "See My hands and My feet, that
it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a
spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." (NAS)
A "spirit" has no body or form,
but the Holy Spirit can appear as a perfect man when the need arises.
JESUS said (and He cannot lie) that
the FATHER shall become incarnate on this Earth (and be sent to or go
to the Holy Land) as 'The Lord of the Vineyard'!
No, He didn’t. Where the biblical reference?
The Essence of God did not incarnate, but
the "Son" did! So did the "Father".
Think about that for a moment.
I did and that means the Father and the Son both
lost their essence of God. What a pile of bunk!
The famous 19th century British Orientalist,
Professor Edward G. Browne of Cambridge University, lived in Persia for one year and met many Babis and
Baha'is. One day in the city of Yezd he had a conversation with the Baha'i
poet 'Andalib. Here is a portion of that conversation:
'Andalib: "How
is it that the Jews, although in expectation of their Messiah, failed to
recognize him in the Lord Jesus?"
Browne: "Because they looked only at
the letter and not the spirit of their books, and had formed a false
conception of the Messiah and his advent."
'Andalib: "May not you Chrisitans have
done the same with regard to Him whose-advent you expect, the promised
Comforter? May He not have come, while you continue heedless? Within a few
miles of Acca is a monastery of Carmelite monks, who have taken up their
abode there to await the return of Christ, because their books tell them that
He will return there. He has returned there, almost at the very door, yet
they recognize Him not, but continue to gaze up to Heaven, whence, as they
vainly suppose, He will descend. Consider the Parable of the Lord of the
Vineyard which is contained in your Gospel. First, He sent His servants to
demand His rights from those wicked men to whom the Vineyard was let; these
were the prophets before Christ. Then He sent His own Son, whom they killed;
this was Christ Himself, as you yourselves admit. And after that what shall
the Lord of the Vineyard do? He will come and destroy the husbandmen, and
will give the Vineyard unto others."
Just because the Jews were deceived doesn’t mean
that Christians are. This is faulty reasoning and true Christians won’t
swallow this deception.
Browne:"Do you then regard Baha'u'llah
as the Lord of the Vineyard, that is to say, as God Himself?"
'Andalib: "What say your own books? Who
is He who shall come after the Son?" ( A Year Among the Persians,
pp.433-434)
Christians all over
the world expect the Son, Jesus, to return. Yet, Jesus Himself declared that
the Father, the Lord of the Vineyard, Himself would come to this
Earth! Specifically, the Holy Land ("The Vineyard of God")!
When Jesus (the Son) became incarnate (was
born of a human woman) He said "I am in the Father and the
Father is in me?" (John 14:11).
What did He mean by that?
The Father was in Jesus! And when the
Father Himself would come, as Lord of the Vineyard, Jesus would be in
Him!
This a a great Mystery, but it is the Truth.
If the Son of God can become a God-Man, so
can His Father!
And He did!
No, He didn’t. It is only the Son who is the
God-Man, not the Father.
He was born Mirza Husayn 'Ali Nuri; a descendant
of the House of David and the Kings of Persia. He became known as Baha'u'llah:
the "Glory of Allah". He was sent to the Holy Land (Vineyard) as a
prisoner of the Sultan of Turkey. In the year 1890 He pitched His tent upon
Mount Carmel (in Hebrew CARM-EL means "Vineyard of God"). In 1891
He recited the Tablet of Carmel, which was His Great Announcement to
the World that the Kingdom of the Father had come.
Notice the three ranks, or stations,
mentioned in Jesus' Parable of the Lord of the Vineyard:
- Father
(Lord of the Vineyard)
- Son
(the only begotten Son who is killed by the husbandmen)
- Servants
(the messengers who are beaten and rejected by the husbandmen)
Baha'is believe
that Baha'u'llah is the "Father"; the "Lord of the
Vineyard". It is not a coincidence that the Baha'i World Centre is
located on the north slope of Mount Carmel in the city of Haifa, in the State
of Israel. In Hebrew, "Carm-El" means "Vineyard of God".
The ARC of the Baha'i World Centre, on the northern slopes of Mt.
Carmel, Haifa, Israel
The Sect of the Nazarenes
In the Gospels Jesus is called "Jesus
of Nazareth" but also "Jesus the Nazarene". The Greek term Iesou
tou Nazaraiou is translated "Jesus of Nazareth" and simply
means Jesus was from the city of Nazareth. The Greek term Iesou Nazaraios
is translated "Jesus the Nazarene" and DOES NOT MEAN "Jesus
from Nazareth", but rather "Jesus the
Nazorean".
The Nazoreans were a sect of Jews
considered to be heretics, or cultists, by the Orthodox Jews. Here are some
Evangelical Christian and Messianic Jewish comments on the Nazoreans:
"The
pre-Christ sect of Mt. Carmel Nazoreans brought forth John the Baptist and
Yeshua (Essene Jesus)." ( Jesus on the Web~Legacy, p.2 online)
"This is an old movement stemming from
the Jews who were followers of the Way, or Nazoreans,...." (The World of
Messianic Judaism, p. 1 online)
"Nazoreans, THE OLDEST GROUP OF
ESSENES, are the Northern branch of Essenes that lived around Nazarean
Temples such as the one on Mount Carmel and the smaller one in the Essene
Quarter of western Jerusalem." (Ebionites~Fathers of Humanity?, p. 3
online)
"The purpose of this article is to
prove that Yah'o'shuah (Jesus) was primarily associated with the Essenes of
Mount Carmel in Northern Israel, not the Essenes of Qumran in Southern
Israel." (Essenes of Mount Carmel, p.1 online)
Jesus was born into
a sect called the Notsrim in Hebrew, Nazoreans in Aramaic, Nasara'i
in Arabic, or the "Nazarenes" we find in our English Bibles. The
city of "Nazareth" was founded by members of the sect of the
Nazarenes, but their real headquarters was a Temple on top of Mount Carmel;
where the Carmelite Monastary currently is located.
The Nazarenes were a sect of Essenes who
married (unlike the Essenes along the Dead Sea who did not marry). The name
"Essene" is Greek, and comes from the Aramaic word
"Oseen"; which meant "Doers" of the Law of Moses. Paul wrote:
"For it is not
the hearers of the Law that are just before God, but the doers of the
Law shall be justified." (Romans 2:13)
James, the brother
of Jesus, wrote:
"But be doers
of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." (James
1:22)
The Nazarenes and
other Essenes considered the Pharisees (who spent their lives memorizing the
Law and arguing over it) to be "hearers" of the Law but not
"Doers" of it.
The Pharisees considered it blasphemy
to say the Messiah would be the Son of God. The Essenes believed that the Messiah
would indeed be "the Son of God".
Jesus, in His Parable of the Lord of the
Vineyard in Mark chapter 12 (and elsewhere), said that the Father would come
to the Vineyard after the Son was sent, rejectd, and killed.
The late Enoch Olinga, a Baha'i Hand of
the Cause of God (apostle) and martyr for the Faith, said in 1980:
"These are the
days that have witnessed the coming of the Lord of Hosts, the Lord of the
Vineyard. We're all familiar with the story in the Bible, the parable where it
says that Jesus Christ taught that there was once upon a time a lord or a
kind who had a vineyard which had had left in the hands of his servants or
workmen. This story is very familiar. Shoghi Effendi said it is important to
know that the Lord Jesus Christ was referring to Baha'u'llah, the Lord of the
Vineyard, Who will come. As Baha'is we know that He has come. He has
come to bring love, peace, unity." ( A Life of Service, p.1
online)
The Very Savior of Man
'Abdu'l-Baha, the Interpreter and Exemplar of
the Faith, declared that Jesus was "the very Savior of man" (Promulgation,
p.63). What does this mean? 'Abdu'l-Baha (pronounced
"obdul-bah-hah") also said of Jesus:
"He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the
One that will give unto him that is athirst of the Fountain of water of life
and bestow upon the sick the remedy of true salvation." (Selections
from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, pp.12-13)
Jesus is the Alpha and
Omega and He doesn’t need false prophets like Mohammed and Baha’u’llah to
further His kingdom.
'Abdu'l-Baha also
said:
This is the real
atonement that His Holiness Christ made--He sacrificed Himself for the life
of the world." (Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p.543)
His Father, Baha'u'llah, wrote:
Know thou that when
the Son of Man yielded up His breath to God, the whole creation wept with
such a great weeping. By sacrificing Himself, however, a fresh capacity was
infused into all created things.***Through Him the leper recovered from the
leprosy of peversity and ignorance. Through Him, the unchaste and wayward
were healed. Through His power, born of Almighty God, the eyes of the blind
were opened, and the soul of the sinner sanctified." ( Gleanings,
pp.85,86)
For Baha'is, Jesus'
death not only saves our souls, but infuses into the dying Cosmos a fresh
capacity of life.
Baha'u'llah also wrote of Jesus:
"He
is it Who purified the world." (Gleanings, p.86)
God had asked
Abraham to sacrifice his firstborn son as a sign of Jesus' coming sacrifice
"as a ransom for the sins and iniquities of all the peoples of the
earth" (Gleanings, p.76).
Jesus' mission among the Manifestations of
God was to "purify the world" of sin. He did this by shedding His
Blood on the Cross.
What Need of We of Baha'u'llah?
The only real answer that can be given is:
We need whatever the Lord says we
need!
If all we need is Jesus' death on the Cross,
then why do we need a Millennial Kingdom? Why do we need a final
judgement? Why?
The answer is:
Because SALVATION is both personal
and universal. What Jesus did 2000 years ago has to do with personal
salvation; the salvation of the soul from the condition or dimension of Hell.
But what the Father and the Son are doing now has to do with the salvation
of the entire Human family. The Salvation of the WHOLE from the
destruction of the Earth by fire.
Baha'is believe that Jesus Himself told His
disciples of the coming of Baha'u'llah:
Jesus said:
However,
when He, the Spirit of Truth has come. He will guide you into all
truth; for He will not speak of His own authority, but whatever He hears He
will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify
Me..."(John 16:3)
This refers to the Holy Spirit, not Baha’u’llah
Baha'u'llah wrote
of Himself:
Verily,
He Who is the Spirit of Truth is come to guide you unto all truth. He speaketh
not as prompted by His own self, but as bidden by Him Who is the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise." (Lawh-i-Aqdas 11:4-5)
The purpose and
mission of Baha'u'llah was to establish the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. Jesus
told His disciples to pray, "Our Father in Heaven, Holy be Thy Name, Thy
Kingdom come,....". Baha'is believe this is the "Kingdom"
of the Father that Jesus was referring to. Baha'is seek to establish the
"Millennial Kingdom of God".
Please remember, Jesus said:
1) The Father Himself is coming to
the Holy Land. (Mark 12:1-9)
2) The Kingdom of the Father shall be
established upon the EARTH as it is in Heaven.
3) The Son of Man shall come "as a
thief in the night" and "in the glory of His Father".
The Baha'is Faith is the KINGDOM OF GOD THE
FATHER on earth.
Q. Why does Humanity need such a 'Kingdom'?
Is Jesus is the Savior of my soul, why is such a Kingdom on earth necessary?
A. To save Mankind as a WHOLE~as a living
species~ from the righteous Wrath of God unpon an unjust, cruel, and Godless
planet!
The Father has come to unite Humanity as
One; to establish the Kingdom of God on earth that unites all nations,
peoples, religions, into One People and One Faith. This is when "all
things become as one". When Humanity becomes One then the Wrath of God
will be averted, and Humanity will be saved from His Righteous Wrath and they
will continue as a living species in order to spread across the Cosmos and
bring divine civilization to other worlds and eventually other galaxies.
Christianity is NOT compatible with other
religions because of who Jesus Christ is and it never will be including the
Bahai faith.
Could Baha'u'llah be the Antichrist?
Many Evangelical Christians believe that in
the last days before the return of Jesus to the earth (or the sky) a person
will come and proclaim "Peace" and make a deal with Israel and the
Arabs. He will become the head of a World Government; perhaps the U.N.,
perhaps the European Union, or "The New World Order". For 3 1/2 or
7 years he will bring peace and prosperity to the world, but sometime then he
will appear in a rebuilt Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and proclaim himself
"God". Then he will stamp "666" on everyone's foreheads,
or perhaps install a computer chip (somehow related to "666") in
everyone's forehead or their right-hand, and nobody will be able to buy or
sell without it. He will receive a headwound (probably from a bullet), but
miraculously recover from it. He will cause fire to come down from heaven.
At the beginning, or the middle, or the end of
his 7-year reign of power, tens of millions of Christians will one day
"disappear" from the earth; without a trace. If two true Christians
are flying an airplane, they will be "taken" and the plane will
crash; killing all aboard (except Christian passengers and the two Christian
pilots). At the end of this 7-years, Jesus will return in the clouds of the
sky, every eye will see Him. He will destroy this Antichrist, and come down
to earth and establish His Millennial Kingdom.
The Bible in fact speaks of various
"anti-christs". It speaks of "The False Prophet" and the
"Man of Sin" and "The Beast". Many Evangelical Christians
believe in one end-times "Anti-Christ", but most Bible scholars are
convinced that the 'False Prophet' and 'The Beast' and '666' (things John the
Revelator wrote about in The Book of Revelations) were codewords for
things that existed at the time The Book of Revelations was written, for
example:
- The
False Prophet=Simon Magus
- The
Man of Sin=Nero
- The
Beast=The Roman Empire
- The
7 Heads=the seven hills of
Rome and also the 7
Ceasars who ruled before the Apocalypse was written.
- The
10 Horns=the 10 Ceasars from Julius until the destruction of Jerusalem
in 70 A.D.
- 666=The
number of "Neron Ceasar" in Greek
- The
'Mark' of the Beast=The image of ceasar which was stamped upon Roman
coins--nobody could 'buy' or 'sell' without the 'mark' (it says 'stamp'
in the Greek)
- The
Woman Sitting Upon the Beast=apostate Israel who "played the Harlot" with Rome and the
"kings of the earth" for financial gain.
These are stated about the upcoming Great
Tribulation which hasn’t happened yet so the above interpretation is false.
Jesus Himself told His disciples how to
recognize a false christ (antichrist) or a false prophet. He said that a
false christ would say: "I am Christ"(see Matthew 24:5). There have
been thousands of people in the last 2000 years who have claimed to be
Christ. Among them are Jesus and Baha'u'llah; the ONLY TWO Who never
once said: "I am Christ" or "I am the Messiah".
A false prophet can be recognized
when He gives a prophecy that fails to come to pass. The prophecies of
Baha'u'llah have all been recorded, and anti-Baha'i authors have poured over
them for many years. They can't find __any_ that have not "come to
pass". All of Baha'u'llah's prophecies have been fulfilled; to the
letter, and you can read about their fulfillment in books like The
Challenge of Baha'u'llah and The Prisoner and the Kings. These
books are only available at Baha'i bookstores or Baha'i Center librari | 