Paragraph 1.20

"O Ears of this Temple! Purge yourselves from all idle clamour and hearken unto the voice of your Lord. He, verily, revealeth unto you, from the Throne of glory, that there is none other God save Me, the All-Glorious, the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Erelong shall We bring into being through you pure and undefiled ears which will heed the Word of God and that which hath appeared from the Dayspring of the Utterance of your Lord, the All-Merciful. They shall assuredly perceive the sweet accents of Divine Revelation that proceed from these most blessed and hallowed precincts."

Comments:

• The metaphor of purging one’s ears so one could hearken (listen to, hear) the “voice of” his/her Lord appears to be one of those spiritual principles that the Manifestation of God brings to our attention. In this paragraph Baha’u’llah reminds us specifically to free ourselves from the influence of any “idle clamour” (baseless, vain, lacking substance, loud outcry or any vehement expression of discontent or protest).

• Consulting further with the Writings concerning this metaphor of “purging” we see, for example, Baha’u’llah’s reference to the purging influence of the, Word of God, “the living waters of divine utterance”, and the Bab’s explanation of the “purification” process that a believer needs to go through to attain “nearness unto God”:

“God, the True One, testifieth and the Revealers of His names and attributes bear witness that Our sole purpose in raising the Call and in proclaiming His sublime Word is that the ear of the entire creation may, through the living waters of divine utterance, be purged from lying tales and become attuned to the holy, the glorious and exalted Word which hath issued forth from the repository of the knowledge of the Maker of the Heavens and the Creator of Names.” (Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 21)

Paragraph 1.19

"O Eyes of this Temple! Look not upon the heavens and that which they contain, nor upon the earth and them that dwell thereon, for We have created you to behold Our own Beauty: See it now before you! Withhold not your gaze therefrom, and deprive not yourselves of the Beauty of your Lord, the All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved. Erelong shall We bring into being through you keen and penetrating eyes that will contemplate the manifold signs of their Creator and turn away from all that is perceived by the people of the world. Through you shall We bestow the power of vision upon whomsoever We desire, and lay hold upon those who have deprived themselves of this gracious bounty. These, verily, have drunk from the cup of delusion, though they perceive it not."

Comments:

• In this and the two following paragraphs we see Baha’u’llah addressing the “eyes”, “ears” and “tongue” of His Temple – the organs associated with one’s ability to see, hear and speak. Since every aspect of our physical reality has a spiritual counterpart, let’s reflect a bit on the significances of these metaphors.

• In one of His Tablets Baha’u’llah explains that God has given us eyes so that we could see His “signs”, “behold” His “verses” and “to contemplate the revelations of .. [His] handiwork” (Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 6). In another reference He equates “Trustworthiness” “as eyes to the human temple”. (Baha’u’llah, The Compilation of Compilations vol. II, p. 329).

Paragraph 1.18

"O Living Temple! Through Thee have We gathered together all created things, whether in the heavens or on the earth, and called them to account for that which We had covenanted with them before the foundation of the world. And lo, but for a few radiant faces and eloquent tongues, We found most of the people dumbfounded, their eyes staring up in fear. From the former We brought forth the creation of all that hath been and all that shall be. These are they whose countenances God hath graciously turned away from the face of the unbelievers, and whom He hath sheltered beneath the shadow of the Tree of His own Being; they upon whose hearts He hath bestowed the gift of peace and tranquillity, and whom He hath strengthened and assisted through the hosts of the seen and the unseen."

Comments:

• Again a reminder about the stupendous station of the Manifestation of God. In this paragraph we become aware that “all created things” “on the earth” as well as “in the heavens” (all other stars and planets?) were “gathered together” through the Manifestation of God and were “called .. to account” for that which He had “covenanted with them before the foundation of the world”. It leaves one with the thought that God, through His Manifestation, made a covenant with “all created things” (human beings and others) concerning His Manifestation. This covenant appears to have taken place “before” the foundation of the world” was established. Does this mean in the spiritual realm?

• Another understanding that we could gain from this paragraph is a reference from Baha’u’llah in which He shows His disappointment towards the treatment that He received from His “oppressors among Thy [God’s] creatures and the infidels among .. (God’s) enemies” Baha’u’llah further explains that He “never thought that they would show forth such deeds” since God has “announced this Revelation unto them in the Scrolls of .. (His) commandment and the Tablets of … (His) decree”, and that God “hast covenanted with them concerning this youth in every word sent down by … (Him) unto … (His) creatures and … (His) people.” (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations by Baha'u'llah, p. 306). The Guardian refers to this covenant as the “Greater Covenant”:

Paragraph 1.17

"O Living Temple! Arise by the power of Thy Self in such wise that all created things will be moved to arise with Thee. Aid, then, Thy Lord through such ascendancy and might as We have bestowed upon Thee. Take heed lest Thou falter on that Day when all created things are filled with dismay; rather be Thou the revealer of My name, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Assist Thy Lord to the utmost of Thine ability, and pay no heed to the peoples of the world, for that which their mouths utter is like unto the droning of a gnat in an endless valley. Quaff the water of life in My name, the All-Merciful, and proffer unto the near ones amongst the inmates of this lofty station that which shall cause them to become detached from all names and enter beneath this blessed and all-encompassing shadow."

Comments:

• Let’s attempt to clarify, to the extent possible, our understanding about the Entity that addresses the “Living Temple” (meaning Baha’u’llah) in this paragraph. There is a very interesting explanation about this in volume 3 of Adib Taherzadeh’s Revelation of Baha’u’llah: “Throughout the Tablet, the Pen of the Most High addresses the Haykal (Temple) and reveals the glory and majesty with which it is invested. In answer to a question, Bahá'u'lláh has stated that the Haykal which is addressed in this Surih is the Person of Bahá'u'lláh, and so is the voice which addresses the Haykal. It is fascinating to know that the One Who speaks with the voice of God in this Tablet is identical with the One spoken to. (Adib Taherzadeh, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah v 3, p. 133). In other words, as we explored in relation to Paragraph 1.7, it is the Primal Will of God that is speaking to Baha’u’llah through Baha’u’llah!

• In this paragraph we become further educated about the incredible “power” of the Manifestations of God and Their “ascendancy and might". For example, the fact that the Manifestation of God, could, if He wished, use His “power” to cause “all created things” (not just humans) to be “moved to arise with” Him. For example, with respect to human beings, this action of being “moved to arise” could mean something like them acknowledging spontaneity the Message that is brought to them by Baha’u’llah.

Paragraph 1.16

"These souls are the protectors of the Cause of God on earth, who shall preserve its beauty from the obscuring dust of idle fancies and vain imaginings. In the path of their Lord they shall not fear for their lives; rather will they sacrifice their all in their eagerness to behold the face of their Well-Beloved when once He hath appeared in this Name, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious, the Most Holy."
Comments:

• Baha’u’llah provides further explanations in this paragraph concerning those very special believers that He mentions in Paragraph 1.13.

• It’s very interesting to note how Baha’u’llah refers to them as “the protectors of the Cause of God on earth”! When it comes to protecting the Cause we typically think of the enemies of the Cause. But here Baha’u’llah provides us with a deeper insight: To “preserve” the “beauty” of the Cause of God “from the obscuring dust of idle fancies and vain imaginings.” How often have we thought of “idle fancies and vain imaginings” as things that we need to protect the Cause from?

• We should do some reflection on the subject of “idle fancies and vain imaginings” in light of the explanations provided in the Writings of the Faith. Otherwise we would be following our own “idle fancies and vain imaginings” in attempting to understand what they are.

Paragraph 1.15

"These are they who circle round the Cause of God even as the shadow doth revolve around the sun. Open, then, your eyes, O people of the Bayan, that haply ye may behold them! It is by virtue of their movement that all things are set in motion, and by reason of their stillness all things are brought to rest, would that ye might be assured thereof! Through them the believers in the Divine Unity have turned towards Him Who is the Object of the adoration of the entire creation, and by them the hearts of the righteous have found rest and composure, could ye but know it! Through them the earth hath been established, the clouds have rained down their bounty, and the bread of knowledge hath descended from the heaven of grace, could ye but perceive it!"

Comments:

• We can glean very interesting insights from this paragraph concerning those “blissful” souls that Baha’u’llah refers to in Paragraph 1.13 and their effect on many things. Bliss is defined as “extreme happiness, ecstasy, the ecstasy of salvation, spiritual joy.”

• We notice that Baha’u’llah is telling the “people of Bayan”, meaning those Babis that didn’t accept Him as the Promised One of the Bab, to open their eyes and “behold” these “blissful” souls. This leads one to understand that such “blissful” souls were in their midst at the time!

• It’s also fascinating to know that such souls can affect a number of things, such as:
   • “It is by virtue of their movement that all things are set in motion”;
   • It is “by reason of their stillness all things are brought to rest”;
   • “Through them the believers in the Divine Unity have turned towards Him Who is the Object of the adoration of the entire creation”;
   • “by them the hearts of the righteous have found rest and composure”;
   • “Through them the earth hath been established”;
   • “Through them … the clouds have rained down their bounty”; and
   • “Through them … the bread of knowledge hath descended from the heaven of grace”.

It’s amazing to what degree we owe our very existence and the Faith to these very special believers!

Paragraph 1.14

“These are servants who abide beneath the shelter of the tender mercy of their Lord, and who remain undeterred by those who seek to obstruct their path. Upon their faces may be seen the brightness of the light of the All-Merciful, and from their hearts may be heard the remembrance of Mine all-glorious and inaccessible Name. Were they to unloose their tongues to extol their Lord, the denizens of earth and heaven would join in their anthems of praise -- yet how few are they who hear! And were they to glorify their Lord, all created things would join in their hymns of glory. Thus hath God exalted them above the rest of His creation, and yet the people remain unaware!”

Comments:

• In this paragraph we find further explanation from Baha’u’llah concerning those believers whom He refers to, in the previous paragraph, as part of His “new creation”:

     • Those who “abide beneath the shelter of the tender mercy of their Lord”;
     • Those who “remain undeterred by those who seek to obstruct their path”;
     • Those who “Upon their faces may be seen the brightness of the light of the All-Merciful”;
     • Those who “from their hearts may be heard the remembrance of Mine all-glorious and inaccessible Name”;
     • Those who if they were “to unloose their tongues to extol their Lord, the denizens of earth and heaven would join in their anthems of praise”; and
     • Those who if they were “to glorify their Lord, all created things would join in their hymns of glory.”

• Reflecting over these spiritual qualities that we are being called upon by the Manifestation of God to strive for, will help us realize our humble journey to our own individual spiritual transformation. A transformation that, in the words of Baha’u’llah is “the object of every Revelation”:

"Is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself, both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions? For if the character of mankind be not changed, the futility of God's universal Manifestation would be apparent." (Baha’u’llah, Kitab-i-Iqan, p. 241)

Paragraph 1.13

"We, verily, have ordained this Temple to be the source of all existence in the new creation, that all may know of a certainty My power to accomplish that which I have purposed through My word "Be", and it is! Beneath the shadow of every letter of this Temple We shall raise up a people whose number none can reckon save God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Erelong shall God bring forth from His Temple such souls as will remain unswayed by the insinuations of the rebellious, and who will quaff at all times of the cup that is life indeed. These, truly, are of the blissful."

Comments:

• As we explored earlier, the “Temple” is a reference to the Manifestation of God who for our time is Baha’u’llah. In this paragraph we become aware that the entity of the Manifestation of God is “the source of all existence” in “the new creation …” Let’s explore this a bit deeper. When we think of “all existence” we become easily overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the visible universe. Science is gradually discovering and postulating many components of our physical environment – things that we even didn’t know they existed before. For example the many living creatures in the very depths of oceans, even in the midst of volcanic eruptions at sea floors and the invisible black entities in between far away galaxies. So when we read that the Manifestation of God is the “source” of “all existence” we become aware that such Beings are more than just a Messenger from God, that They have indeed the power over the entire universe!

Paragraph 1.12

"O Pen of the Most High! Hearken unto the Call of Thy Lord, raised from the Divine Lote-Tree in the holy and luminous Spot, that the sweet accents of Thy Lord, the All-Merciful, may fill Thy soul with joy and fervour, and that the breezes that waft from My name, the Ever-Forgiving, may dispel Thy cares and sorrows. Raise up, then, from this Temple, the temples of the Oneness of God, that they may tell out, in the kingdom of creation, the tidings of their Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, and be of them that are illumined by His light."


Comments:

• We find in the Notes section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas that the "Pen of the Most High", "the Supreme Pen" and "the Most Exalted Pen" are references to Bahá'u'lláh, illustrating His function as Revealer of the Word of God. (The Universal House of Justice, Notes section of The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 176).

• We also understand that the “Divine Lote-Tree” is a reference to “the Tree beyond which there is no passing” – this being a symbol of the Manifestation of God. In the Notes section of the Kitab-i-Aqdas we read that “This is used as a symbol in Islam, for example in the accounts of Muhammad's Night Journey, to mark the point in the heavens beyond which neither men nor angels can pass in their approach to God, and thus to delimit the bounds of divine knowledge as revealed to mankind. Hence it is often used in the Bahá'í Writings to designate the Manifestation of God Himself.” (UHJ, Notes section of The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 220)

• The beautiful way in which Baha’u’llah weaves together in this paragraph a number of references to the station of the Manifestation of God is both educational and awe-inspiring!

• Notice the part that Baha’u’llah instructs the “Pen” to pay attention to the “Call” of His “Lord” so that the “sweet accents” of His Lord may fill His soul “with joy and fervour” and that the “breezes” that blow from Baha’u’llah’s “name, the Ever-Forgiving, may dispel” His “cares and sorrows.” Since the Pen recorded the Word of God, should we infer from this paragraph that our on-going interaction with the Word of God will also fill our souls with “joy and fervour” and dispel our “cares and sorrows”? Food for thought!

• Another insight we get from this paragraph is the injunction from the Manifestation of God for the “Pen” to “Raise up” “in the kingdom of creation” “from this Temple” [meaning Baha’u’llah] “the temples of the Oneness of God “so that these temples “may tell out, in the kingdom of creation, the tidings of their Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, and be of them that are illumined by His light.” What an amazing description to remember next time we see a picture of one of the existing Baha’i temples in the world!