"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”:
“The Greater Covenant into which, as affirmed in His writings, God had, from time immemorial, entered, through the Prophets of all ages, with the whole of mankind, regarding the newborn Revelation, had already been fulfilled.” (Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By, p. 27)
• It looks like going back in time when God made this Greater Covenant concerning Baha’u’llah’s Revelation with the whole of mankind, only “a few” individuals with “radiant faces and eloquent tongues” acknowledged His Revelation. It should be fairly educational if we could name a few such individuals in each of the past Dispensations.
• Baha’u’llah further explains who these people are; “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 tranquility, and whom He hath strengthened and assisted through the hosts of the seen and the unseen.”
• And here comes an incredible glimpse of certain spiritual realities when we read that from these believers the Manifestation of God has “brought forth the creation of all that hath been and all that shall be.” Imagine to what degree we owe our existence to these precious beings!
