Bahá'u'lláh and the New EraEsslemont, J. E. (John Ebenezer)
Religion
Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era
Esslemont, J. E. (John Ebenezer)
Bahai Faith; Bahá'u'lláh, 1817-1892
Search after truth, the oneness of mankind, unity of religions, of races,
of nations, of East and West, the reconciliation of religion and science,
the eradication of prejudices and superstitions, the equality of men and
women, the establishment of justice and righteousness, the setting up of a
supreme international tribunal, the unification of languages, the
compulsory diffusion of knowledge—these, and many other teachings like
these, were revealed by the pen of Bahá’u’lláh during the latter half of
the nineteenth century in innumerable books and epistles several of which
were addressed to the Kings and Rulers of the world.
His message, unique in its comprehensiveness and scope, is wonderfully in
accord with the signs and needs of the times. Never were the new problems
confronting men so gigantic and complex as now. Never were the proposed
solutions so numerous and conflicting. Never was the need of a great world
teacher so urgent or so widely felt. Never, perhaps, was the expectancy of
such a teacher so confident or so general.
Fulfillment of Prophecies
‘Abdu’l-Bahá writes:—
When Christ appeared, twenty centuries ago, although the Jews were
eagerly awaiting His Coming, and prayed ever day, with tears,
saying: “O God, hasten the Revelation of the Messiah,” yet when
the Sun of Truth dawned, they denied Him and rose against Him with
the greatest enmity, and eventually crucified that divine Spirit,
the Word of God, and named Him Beelzebub, the evil one, as is
recorded in the Gospel. The reason for this was that they said:
“The Revelation of Christ, according to the clear text of the
Torah, will be attested by certain signs, and so long as these
signs have not appeared, whoso layeth claim to be a Messiah is an
impostor. Among these signs is this, that the Messiah should come
for an unknown place, yet we all know this man’s house in
Nazareth, and can any good thing come out of Nazareth? The second
sign is that He shall rule with a rod of iron, that is, He must
act with the sword, but this Messiah has not even a wooden staff.
Another of the conditions and signs is this: He must sit upon the
throne of David and establish David’s sovereignty. Now, far from
being enthroned, this man has not even a mat to sit on. Another of
the conditions is this: the promulgation of all the laws of the
Torah; yet this man has abrogated these laws, and has even broken
the sabbath day, although it is the clear text of the Torah that
whosoever layeth claim to prophethood and revealeth miracles and
breaketh the sabbath day, must be put to death. Another of the
signs is this, that in His reign justice will be so advanced that
righteousness and well-doing will extend from the human even to
the animal world—the snake and the mouse will share one hold, and
the eagle and the partridge one nest, the lion and the gazelle
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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