"O people of the Bayan! If ye aid Him not, God will assuredly assist Him with the powers of earth and heaven, and sustain Him with the hosts of the unseen through His command "Be", and it is! The day is approaching when God will have, by an act of His Will, raised up a race of men the nature of which is inscrutable to all save God, the All-Powerful, the Self-Subsisting. He shall purify them from the defilement of idle fancies and corrupt desires, shall lift them up to the heights of holiness, and shall cause them to manifest the signs of His sovereignty and might upon earth. Thus hath it been ordained by God, the All-Glorious, the All-Loving."
Comments:
· As we know, the “people of Bayan” is a reference to the followers of the Bab. It’s very sad that most of Baha’u’llah’s sufferings were caused by those followers of the Bab, albeit a very small group, that didn’t recognize Him as the Promised One of the Bab and did their best to discredit and harm Him. For example this reference from the beloved Master:
“…the people of Bayan who broke the Covenant of His Holiness, the Báb, and from six directions shot arrows of reproach and calumny at Thy Blessed Body.” (‘Abdu’l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 433)
· This paragraph also reminds us that the Manifestation of God has the full support of God and that God will “assist Him with the powers of earth and heaven, and sustain Him with the hosts of the unseen …” We may wonder, isn’t this obvious, since after all He is trying to do God’s Will. Maybe part of the wisdom of us being reminded of this point is to have absolute faith and confidence in the ability of the Manifestation of God to “assist” and “sustain” us when we are in need, since He has the full support of God.
· The reference to the “the powers of earth and heaven” is also one that would require some reflection. How many times have we watched a documentary show about various powers of nature and felt astonished at their magnitude. Or, have seen pictures of “heaven” taken by Hubble telescope and amazed at the sheer size and extent of various galaxies. Or, just becoming aware of the tremendous explosions that constantly take place within our own sun allowing it to be a source of life and order for our entire solar system. Now, with that feeling of awe and amazement in the background, let’s read again Baha’u’llah’s assurance that “God will assuredly assist Him with the powers of earth and heaven”!
· Another reminder in this paragraph is Baha’u’llah’s assurance concerning the assistance from “the hosts of the unseen”. Again, a reminder to us that those folks on the other side do come to our assistance and do sustain us in our efforts when we are doing God’s work. We often forget though to thank them!
· There is an amazing reference in this paragraph to a time when God will raise up a “race of men the nature of which is inscrutable to all save God..” This race of men will be purified by God “from the defilement of idle fancies and corrupt desires” and that God will “lift them up to the heights of holiness..”. Baha’u’llah further assures us that God will then “cause” this “race of men” to manifest the signs of His sovereignty and might upon earth.” What an amazing promise! It says so much about the potentialities latent in Baha’u’llah’s Dispensation. Baha’u’llah mentioned this in about 1868. Do you think this has already been fulfilled with the appointments of the Hands of the Cause and the election of the Universal House of Justice?
Comments:
· As we know, the “people of Bayan” is a reference to the followers of the Bab. It’s very sad that most of Baha’u’llah’s sufferings were caused by those followers of the Bab, albeit a very small group, that didn’t recognize Him as the Promised One of the Bab and did their best to discredit and harm Him. For example this reference from the beloved Master:
“…the people of Bayan who broke the Covenant of His Holiness, the Báb, and from six directions shot arrows of reproach and calumny at Thy Blessed Body.” (‘Abdu’l-Baha, Baha'i World Faith, p. 433)
· This paragraph also reminds us that the Manifestation of God has the full support of God and that God will “assist Him with the powers of earth and heaven, and sustain Him with the hosts of the unseen …” We may wonder, isn’t this obvious, since after all He is trying to do God’s Will. Maybe part of the wisdom of us being reminded of this point is to have absolute faith and confidence in the ability of the Manifestation of God to “assist” and “sustain” us when we are in need, since He has the full support of God.
· The reference to the “the powers of earth and heaven” is also one that would require some reflection. How many times have we watched a documentary show about various powers of nature and felt astonished at their magnitude. Or, have seen pictures of “heaven” taken by Hubble telescope and amazed at the sheer size and extent of various galaxies. Or, just becoming aware of the tremendous explosions that constantly take place within our own sun allowing it to be a source of life and order for our entire solar system. Now, with that feeling of awe and amazement in the background, let’s read again Baha’u’llah’s assurance that “God will assuredly assist Him with the powers of earth and heaven”!
· Another reminder in this paragraph is Baha’u’llah’s assurance concerning the assistance from “the hosts of the unseen”. Again, a reminder to us that those folks on the other side do come to our assistance and do sustain us in our efforts when we are doing God’s work. We often forget though to thank them!
· There is an amazing reference in this paragraph to a time when God will raise up a “race of men the nature of which is inscrutable to all save God..” This race of men will be purified by God “from the defilement of idle fancies and corrupt desires” and that God will “lift them up to the heights of holiness..”. Baha’u’llah further assures us that God will then “cause” this “race of men” to manifest the signs of His sovereignty and might upon earth.” What an amazing promise! It says so much about the potentialities latent in Baha’u’llah’s Dispensation. Baha’u’llah mentioned this in about 1868. Do you think this has already been fulfilled with the appointments of the Hands of the Cause and the election of the Universal House of Justice?
