Apocalypse Unsealed: chapter 19
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Chapter Nineteen
THE TRIUMPH OF BAHA'U'LLAH
In this chapter, the ninteenth, Baha'u'llah triumphs over the
beast and the false prophet._/1
1 And after these things I heard a great voice of
much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation,
and glory, and horour, and power, unto the Lord our
God:
2 For true and righteous are his judgements: for he
hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the
earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the
blood of his servants at her hand.
3 And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose
up for ever and ever.
4 And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts
fell down and worshipped God, that sat on the
throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia.
5 And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise
our God, all ye his servants, and he that fear him,
both small and great.
The voice out of the throne is that of Baha'u'llah, the Bird of
the Celestial Throne.
6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great
multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as
the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia:
for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.
The voice of many waters and of mighty thunderings is that of the
Prophets.
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7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to
him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his
wife hath made herself ready.
8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed
in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen
is the righeousness of the saints.
9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they
which are called unto the marriage supper of the
Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true
sayings of God.
10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he
said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow
servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony
of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy.
The marriage supper of the Lamb is the reunion of the Covenant
with the Word of God, the Holy City.
(RSV translates "and he saith unto me ..." in verse 9 as "And the
angel said to me ...")
11 And I say heaven opened, and behold a white
horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful
and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and
make war.
Baha'u'llah, the Lord of Hosts,
that is, the Lord of the heavenly
armies,* is shown riding a white *See _The Covenant of
horse. In Chapter 6 the white Baha'u'llah_, p. 75.
horse was corrupted theology.
Here, ridden by Faithful and True,
it represents correct theology. By righteousness, He judges the
spirituality dead and makes spiritual war upon the wicked.
Faithful and True ãIOTOä KáI A^HéINOä has a literal value of 1269
and an archetypal value of 9, the number of Baha'.
Some of the titles of Baha'u'llah that can be considered as
synonyms for the expression "Faithful and True" are: Bearer of
the Trust of God, Fountain of the Root of Knowledge, Well
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Spring of Revelation, Bird of the Throne, Word of Truth, Sun of
Truth, Day Star of Divine Revelation.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head
were many crowns; and he had a name written that no
man knew, but he himself.
His eyes of flame have been described in Chapter 1, verse 14.
The many crowns He wears are His titles and His dominion over all
the Divinely revealed Faiths. The name written that no man knew
but He Himself refers to His name Baha' given Him by the Bab on
the White Stone, Chapter 2, verse 17. The Covenant is always
transmitted through the Ages by the White Stone. Although false
prophets will always attempt to claim the White Stone as their
own, only the True Prophet, the Manifestation of God, is capable
of revealing its hidden contents and through the power of His
Utterance prove that its
concealed Name refers only to
HImself.* *See, for example,
Reference 21, Chapter 18.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in
blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
His vesture dipped in blood_/2 symbolizes the great suffering and
persecutions of Baha'u'llah and His followers. "By the
righteousness of god! The tribulations We have sustained are
such that any pen that recounteth them cannot but be overwhelmed
with anguish. No one of them that truly believe and uphold the
unity of God can bear the burden of their recital. So great have
been our sufferings that even the eyes of Our enemies have wept
over Us, and beyond them those of every discerning person."
--Baha'u'llah_/3
Indeed, the sufferings of Baha'u'llah are monumental. Though
born into a wealthy and powerful family (as was Lord Buddha), His
property was confiscated, He was inprisoned in
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dungeons and jails, bound by massive chains, banished from place
ot place over a period of forty years, was the victim of numerous
conspiracies and attempts on His life, was poisoned twice, and
underwent the torture of the bastinado. Throughout all His
sufferings, Baha'u'llah displayed nothing but the highest
patience, forgiveness, forbearance, and mercy toward His
persecutors.
The reason Baha'u'llah accepted these tribulations He explains:
"The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that
mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be
made a prisoner within this most
mighty Stronghold* that the whole *The walled prison-
world may attain unto true fortress of 'Akka.
liberty." "The Lord Himself
beareth witness to the truth of My words. We have sustained the
weight of all calamities to sanctify you from all earthly
corruption, and ye are yet indifferent." "Fix your gaze upon Him
Who is the Temple of God amongst men. He, in truth, has offered
up His life as a ransom for the redemption of the world."_/4 In
a deeper sense, Baha'u'llah, as the Father of the Prophets,
sustained the manifold sufferings heaped upon those Holy
Personages of other Ages._/5
The Word of God 'O ^oâoä éîov has a lieteral value of 927 and an
archetypal value of 9, the number of Baha'. Some of the titles
of Baha'u'llah that are synonyms for this phrase are: Pen of
the Most High, Voice of the Ancient of Days, the Mystic Herald,
Voice From the Burning Bush, Fountain of Wisdom, Tongue of
Eternity, Spirit of God, Pen of the Most Great Name.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him
upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and
clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that
with it he should smite the nations: and he shall
rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the
winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty
God.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a
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name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
The heavenly armies (hosts) are the sanctified and angelic
followers of Baha'u'llah, the Lord
of Hosts.* He, with the Sword of *See _The Covenant of
Truth and the Rod of Spiritual Baha'u'llah_, p. 75.
dominion, is the Lord of the
vineyard and a Manifestation of God, that is, KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS. <19:16>
17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he
cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls
that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather
yourselves together unto the supper of the great
God;
18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh
of captives, and the flesh of mighty men, and the
flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and
the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small
and great.
19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth,
and their armies, gathered together to make war
against him that sat on the horse, and against his
army.
20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false
prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which
he deceived them that worshipped his image. These
both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning
with brimstone.
21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him
that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out
of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with
their flesh.
The angel stands against the Sun of Divine Guidance. The fowls
in the midst of heaven are the souls with heavenly attributes.
They will overcome the tyranny of the corrupt rulers,
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military leaders, the four horses of the Apocalypse (Corrupted
Theology, War, Economic Injustice, and Ungodliness), the corrupt
Muslim priesthood and the false prophet. These last two will be
cast into the lake of spiritual torment.
Notes to Chapter Nineteen
1. The triumph of Baha'u'llah in the 19th Chapter may symbolize
the fact that Baha'u'llah's Declaration occurred immediately
following the 19th year of the Baha'i Era. See _God Passes By_,
p. 151.
2. It is remarkable that, as a result of His exile to 'Iraq and
the confiscation of His property in Persia, Baha'u'llah was left
without even a cloak to wear. His loved ones pieced together
remnants of apparel to make a cloak for Him. This cloak was dyed
red. Compare with the story of Joseph in Genesis 37:31-33. Also
see Isaiah 61:1-3 in which Bozrah (Bashrah), 'Iraq and Deom are
mentioned. Edom literally means "red." (Reference 12, p. 251.)
3. _Baha'i World Faith_, p. 47.
4. _Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah_, pp. 99, 307,
315.
5. See, e.g., _Gleanings from the Writings of Baha'u'llah_, pp.
88-90.