Paragraph 1.53

"Say: The Word of God can never be confounded with the words of His creatures. It is, in truth, the King of words, even as He is Himself the sovereign Lord of all, and His Cause transcendeth all that was and all that shall be. Enter, O people, the City of Certitude wherein the throne of your Lord, the All-Merciful, hath been established. Thus biddeth you the Pen of the All-Glorious, as a token of His unfailing grace. Haply ye may not make His Revelation a cause of dissension amongst you."

Comments

1. Baha’u’llah brings our attention to the unique station of the Word of God as the “King of words” on this plane of existence. It’s a very helpful point to keep in mind since nowadays we normally interact with a lot of “text”! This comparison will also help us to better prepare ourselves mentally (not physically) for our interaction with the Word of God. It directs us to have the proper attitude – in a way like the mindset one would have when going for an audience with a King or President of a country. Then, God willing, gradually we become more aware concerning the exalted station of the Word of God and its link with the Manifestation of God -- “the sovereign Lord of all”. This latter process, an aspect of our journey towards spiritual transformation, will in turn make us more receptive to allowing the Word of God to influence our process of growth on this plane of existence.

2. In order to help ourselves to gradually become both mentally and emotionally appreciative of the exalted station of the Word of God, and hence embrace its powerful spiritual influences to a greater degree, let’s reflect a bit on a few references from the Writings:

Paragraph: 1.52

"Say: O people! Fear ye God, and allow not your tongues to utter, in their deceitfulness, that which displeaseth Him. Stand abashed before the One Who, as ye well know, hath created you out of a drop of water. [cf. Qur’án 21:30; 24:45; 25:54] Say: We have created all that are in heaven and on earth in the nature made by God. Whosoever turneth unto this blessed Countenance shall manifest the potentialities of that inborn nature, and whosoever remaineth veiled therefrom shall be deprived of this invisible and all-encompassing grace. Verily, there is naught from which Our favour hath been withheld, inasmuch as We have dealt equitably in the fashioning of each and all, and by a word of Our mouth presented unto them the trust of Our love. They that have accepted it are indeed safe and secure, and are numbered among those who are immune from the terrors of this Day. Those, however, who have rejected it have, in truth, disbelieved in God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Thus do We distinguish between the people and pronounce judgement upon them. We, of a certainty, have the power to discern."

Comments

This paragraph contains a number of intriguing subjects that we need to explore together – albeit in our own partial and imperfect way! Let’s attempt to do some identification and grouping of the various gems embedded in this paragraph:

• To be fearful of God
• Warning to not let our “tongues to utter, in their deceitfulness, that which displeaseth” God.
• The vice of deceitfulness
• The fact that we are created “out of a drop of water” – reference from the Qur’an
• Everyone, that is, “all that are in heaven [other planets?] and on earth”, are created “in the nature made by God”
• By turning to the Manifestation of God a human being will allow the “potentialities” of his/her ‘inborn nature’ to be manifested to himself/herself and to humanity. This is a “grace” from God.
• Anyone who remains “veiled” from the Manifestation of God, when He appears, “shall be deprived of this invisible and all-encompassing grace” – the grace that would allow the “potentiality” of his/her “inborn nature” be manifested to himself/herself and to humanity.
• God’s favor is not withheld from anyone.
• God deals equitably in the fashioning of each human being.
• By a word of His mouth, God presents to all of us the “trust” of His “love” – His Message through His Manifestation?
• They that have accepted this “trust” of God’s “love” – His Message to us through His Manifestation -- “are indeed safe and secure, and are numbered among those who are immune from the terrors of this Day.”
• “Those, however, who have rejected it have, in truth, disbelieved in God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting”.
• This is how God would “distinguish between the people and pronounce judgement upon them. We, of a certainty, have the power to discern.”

• Let’s explore these points a little bit.