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The
Baha'i Faith
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- The Seven Churches & The Book
of Revelation
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 An Indepth Look At Revelations
- By Cynthia McDaniel
- Copyright ©1998
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- I (God) have raised up one from the north (sanctuary in heaven,
see Eze.9:2), and he (the Lamb with the Seven Seals) shall come:
from the rising of the sun (typifying Cyrus who came from the
east: Persia, who conquered Babylon in the past, see also Mal.4:2;
Mt.24:27; Rev.7:2; Dan.8:11; Daily; daylight)---Isaiah 41:25
- To me, this is indicating the rise of Jesus (to the north)
as well as another one from the rising of the sun (that is east)
of this location (east of Jerusalem). Baha'u'llah came from east
of Jerusalem, that is, Persia, and was exiled in Babylon (Baghdad)
before being exiled again to Constantinople, Adrianople and finally,
Akka in Israel. He exhibited many "good fruits" by
giving to the poor, being kind to people, and helping people.
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- To prepare the stage, this is a different interpretation
which includes many ideas typical of Christian thought but which
arrives at a different conclusion. I think, however, that it
does meet the requirements/prophecies in the Bible. This is,
of course, only a small part of a whole.
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- The Book of Revelation begins with an address to the seven
churches. It has always been assumed that these 7 represent Christianity
(and so they may since it seems that Christian history has followed
some of the ups and downs described.)
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- This Book may have 2 purposes, the record of Christianity
as well as prophecy about the "last" days above and
beyond the history of Christianity. For example, verse 1:4 says
that this book is from "him which is, and which was and
which is to come". This is an allusion, I think, to the
Word. Christ was the Word. The Book is also from "the seven
Spirits which are before his throne". Some have interpreted
this to mean that these are pastors of the churches. I don't
think so. This indicates that what is to be reveled comes from
heaven, the realm of God. While pastors might get to heaven,
they don't originate there, and they don't have the same status
as the Word and God.
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- Instead, try thinking of it this way: The 7 Spirits (later
called angels) are the 7 revelators of religions. They can be
identified this way:
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Prophet |
Religion |
Symbol |
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Unknown |
Sabaen |
Church of Ephesus |
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Moses |
Judaism |
Smyrna |
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Krishna |
Hinduism |
Pergamos |
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Zoroaster |
Zoroastrianism |
Thyatira |
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Buddha |
Buddhism |
Sardis |
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Christ |
Christianity |
Philadelphia |
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Mohammad |
Islam |
Laodicea |
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- The habits and history of these religions can be seen in
the descriptions of the Churches. I know that many consider some
of these to be polyistic religions and Sabaen is not well known
at all. And, in fact, the Bible agrees with you. Think of it
this way: Religions change over time and are not the same now
that they were when they originated. Those religions which now
recognize many gods and those which recognize none probably are
not the same now as they were when their Prophet brought them.
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- In Chapter 2 of Revelation, The Ancient Faiths are addressed.
God is unhappy with them.
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- He tells EPHESUS (Sabaean) that they have "left thy
first love". They have left the original teachings which
God gave them and he is saying that their candlestick (the light
from those teachings) will be removed if they don't turn to the
original teachings.
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- He tells SMYRNA (Judaism) that a true Jew who believes/loves
God and obeys His laws is spiritually rich. He tells them that
they will have tribulation for 10 days (10 years) (See Numbers
14:34: a day for a year). The Holocaust lasted from 15September
1935 when the Nurnberg laws on citizenship and race" wre
implimented and ended with the destruction of the Third Reich
in May 1945, a period of 10 lunar years.
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- To PERGAMOS (Hinduism) he says: that the Indus are cited
for maintaining the name of God even during their period of spiritual
decay but they have "eaten things sacrifieced to idols"
(accepted idolatrous teachings) and to commit fornification (accept
false doctrine). The "hidden manna" (the word of God
necessary for our spiritual well-being) is promised to those
who overcome the false doctrine.
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- To THYATIRA (Zoroastrianism) he mentions fire which is sacred
to them. Again, they have committed fornification (accepted false
doctrines).
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- In Chapter 3, he addresses recent faiths:
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- To SARDIS (Buddhism), They keep the name of their Prophet
(Buddha), but the spirit (the one from God) which he taught them
about is dead in their religion. He threatens to come upon them
as a thief (One who enters and departs unseen.) Those who have
good characters or attributes of the soul (their rainment, garment,
clothing, et al) will be remembered.
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- To PHILADELPHIA (Christianity), Christians have kept the
name and word of Christ and are true Jews because they accepted
the Prophet of the new Day of the Lord. Because of this, they
will not be tempted when the rest of the world is tempted. (See
below for how this happened.)
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- To LAODICEAN (Islam), The promise of Mohammad was that He
was a true witness of the Day of God. To be cold is to be indifferent,
to be hot is to be zealous, to be lukewarm is to be bigoted.
Bigotry can be confused for zealotry.
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- Here the Bab's title is introduced (His title means Gate
or Door). To those who recognize His voice calling through the
Bab, will be given spiritual food (manna).
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- After this summary of the religions, the text reviews other
aspects of history. After Christianity is split into 3 parts
(Rev 8:12): The Eastern Orthodox Church, the Western or Roman
Church and the Asian and African churches. The 3 woes (woe,woe,
woe) mentioned refers to the Day of the Lord as identified by
Ezekiel (30:2-3). These Woes which are to come after Christianity
are: Mohammad, the Bab and Baha'u'llah (Whose title means Glory
of God).
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- Concerning time, the number 1260 is repeated many times through
out the Bible and in many different forms. Days can be a symbol
of Years (Numbers 14:34).
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- So 1260 Days is 1260 years.
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- So is 42 months (42 X 30 [30 days in each Hebrew month] =
1260 days/years).
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- So is 3 and 1/2 times (which is years)
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- (3.5 x 360 [360 days in Hebrew calendar] =1260 days or 1260
years
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- All of these forms of describing this period, 1260, 42 months
or 3.5 "times" are all 1260 years.
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- Rev 11:3 says that God will give power to His 2 witnesses
to prophesy 1260 days clothed in sackcloth. The 2 witnesses,
in my opinion, refer to Mohammad and His appointed successor,
Ali, who was His son-in-law. Their "prophesy" (words
to the people) did not seem new (clothed in sackcloth).
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- Some of Mohammad's followers usurped His Will upon His death
by ignoring what He told them ("Follow my son-in-law.")
and by appointing their own leaders who took over His religion.
The beast (Rev 11:7) raises up against Mohammad and Ali after
they have made their testimony and kills the divine power invested
in their testimony to the people. (The Beast was the Bani-Umayyad
dynasty which took over the religion after the death of Mohammad).
While they kept the form of the religion of Mohammad (the dead
bodies in Rev 11:9), the bodies did not have the Spirit which
Mohammad had brought. The dead bodies are kept on view for 3
and one half days (3 1/2 years or 1260 years again).
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- The "Day" of Mohammad (His ministry) lasted 1260
lunar years (Islam uses a lunar calendar) until the time of the
"latter day Lamb". In that Islam calendar year (1260
which is the same as 1844 in the Christian calendar), another
Individual arose to lead the people to God called "The Bab"
(meaning Gate or Door). (Rev 11:11) The "Spirit of life
from God entered into them (the dead bodies) and they stood upon
their feet." This is, in my opinion, The Bab and his follower
known as Quddus. They were killed. (Rev 11:12: "Come up
hither.")
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- (When the Bab was killed by firing squad, a Christian troop
leader was told to perform the execution with his squadron. He
did not want to do this because he recognized the similarity
between the situation with Christ and with the Bab. The Bab reassured
him that if he were sincere, his doubts would be resolved. So
he lined up his squadron and fired. When the smoke cleared, the
Bab was gone and his companion was standing in the square unharmed.
The Bab was concluding a conversation with a follower which had
been interrupted. When He was finished, He said that they could
continue with their purpose. But the Christian leader would not
repeat his action and disbanded his squadron. The execution had
to wait until another squadron composed of Muslims could be assembled.
The execution then took place. (Reference to Rev 3:10))
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- After this event, we are told that the second woe is past
(Rev 11:14) and that the third woe will come quickly. It was
only 9 years until the Mission of Baha'u'llah started (1853)
while he was imprisoned in a dungeon converted from a water well
in Persia. It was 10 more years until He made it public (May
1863).
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- The period of time from the beginning of His mission (1853)
until His death in 1892 was 40 lunar years which was a fulfillment
of prophecy (Micah 7:14-15--Feed thy people with thy rod, the
flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood,
in the midst of Carmel...According to the days of thy coming
out of the land of Egypt will I show unto him marvelous things.
(see Joshua 5:6--For the children of Israel walked 40 years in
the wilderness)
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