It is not only in The Book of Certitude that Baha'u'llah explains the meaning of Scripture and helps us to understand it. Many of His other Writings shed light on the spiritual significance of the Word of God. Here is an example in which Baha'u'llah addresses the meaning of certain passages from the Book of Revelation: (16:22)

Verses from Revelation:
His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. (16:23)

And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (rev 1:14-16) (16:24) see

And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass. (rev 2:18) (16:25)

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. (rev 19:15) (16:26) see

An explanation by Baha'u'llah from a book entitled Gems of Divine Mysteries: Meditate then upon the utterance of one of the Prophets as He intimated to the souls of men, through veiled allusions and hidden symbols, the glad-tidings of the One Who was to come after Him, that thou mayest know of a certainty that their words are inscrutable to all save those who are endued with an understanding heart. He saith: 'His eyes were as a flame of fire,' and 'brass-like were His feet,' and 'out of His mouth goeth a two-edged sword.' How could these words be literally interpreted? Were anyone to appear with all these signs, he would assuredly not be human. And how could any soul seek his company? Nay, should he appear in one city, even the inhabitants of the next would flee from him, nor would any soul dare approach him! Yet, shouldst thou reflect upon these statements, thou wouldst find them to be of such surpassing eloquence and clarity as to mark the loftiest heights of utterance and the epitome of wisdom. Methinks it is from them that the suns of eloquence have appeared and the stars of clarity have dawned forth and shone resplendent.. Know then that He who uttered these words in the realms of glory meant to describe the attributes of the One Who is to come in such veiled and enigmatic terms as to elude the understanding of the people of error. Now, when He saith: 'His eyes were as a flame of fire,' He alludeth but to the keenness of sight and acuteness of vision of the Promised One, Who with His eyes burneth away every veil and covering, maketh known the eternal mysteries in the contingent world, and distinguisheth the faces that are obscured with the dust of hell from those that shine with the light of paradise. Were His eyes not made of the blazing fire of God, how could He consume every veil and burn away all that the people possess? How could He behold the signs of God in the Kingdom of His names and in the world of creation? How could He see all things with the all-perceiving eye of God? Thus have we conferred upon Him a penetrating vision in this day. Would that ye believe in the verses of God! For, indeed, what fire is fiercer than this flame that shineth in the Sinai of His eyes, whereby He consumeth all that hath veiled the peoples of the world?.. (16:27) see

As to the words 'brass-like were His feet,' by this is meant His constancy upon hearing the call of God that commandeth Him: 'Be thou steadfast as thou hast been bidden.' He shall so persevere in the Cause of God, and evince such firmness in the path of His might, that even if all the powers of earth and heaven were to deny Him, He would not waver in the proclamation of His Cause, nor flee from His command in the promulgation of His Laws. Nay rather, He will stand as firm as the highest mountains and the loftiest peaks. He will remain immovable in His obedience to God and steadfast in revealing His Cause and proclaiming His Word. No obstacle will hinder Him, nor will the censure of the froward deter Him or the repudiation of the infidels cause Him to waver. All the hatred, the rejection, the iniquity, and the unbelief that He witnesseth serve but to strengthen His love for God, to augment the yearning of His heart, to heighten the exultation of His soul, and to fill His breast with passionate devotion. Hast thou ever seen in this world brass stronger, or blade sharper, or mountain more unyielding than this? He shall verily stand upon His feet to confront all the inhabitants of the earth, and will fear no one, notwithstanding that which, as thou well knowest, the people are wont to commit.. (16:28)

And further He saith: 'Out of his mouth goeth a two-edged sword.' Know thou that since the sword is an instrument that divideth and cleaveth asunder, and since there proceedeth from the mouth of the Prophets and the Chosen Ones of God that which separateth the believer from the infidel and the lover from the beloved, this term hath been so employed, and apart from this dividing and separating no other meaning is intended. Thus, when He Who is the Primal Point and the eternal Sun desireth, by the leave of God, to gather together all creation, to raise them up from the graves of their own selves, and to divide them one from another, He shall pronounce but one verse from Him, and this verse will distinguish truth from error from this day unto the Day of Resurrection. (gdm 52-56) (16:29)

Baha'u'llah's spiritual interpretations are in full harmony with the Bible. Let us look at one example of this. (16:30)

The following prophecy of Joel from the Old Testament speaks of great outward signs. Although these outward signs did not occur, the New Testament states that this prophecy was fulfilled during the time of Jesus. (16:31)

Prophecy of Joel:
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (16:32)

And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. (16:33)

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come. (joe 2:28-31) (16:34) see

In the Book of Acts, Peter refers to this prophecy and states that it was fulfilled. We know that Peter must have understood the prophecy spiritually, because many of the signs mentioned by Joel were not fulfilled literally: (16:35)

But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judæa, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: (16:36)

For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: (16:37)

And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy: (16:38)

And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: (16:39)

The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come. (act 2:14-20) (16:40) see

Knowledge Shall be Increased (16:41)

A fascinating aspect of the unsealing of the books given to us in the book of Daniel, wherein it states: (16:42)

But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. (dan 12:4) (16:43) see

These words of Daniel have been fulfilled. Through the coming of Baha'u'llah, like a spiritual sun rising, the world has experienced a tremendous increase in knowledge. More people travel to and fro in this day than at any other time in history. (16:44)

Jesus uses the analogy of the physical growth of a tree to explain how we will be helped to recognize the time of His Return: (16:45)

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: (16:46)

So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. (mat 24:32) (16:47) see

When do we see that this change referred to by Daniel and Jesus began? (16:48)

An astonishing fact of history is that the famous first message sent by Samuel B. Morse on his newly-constructed telegraph system, which ran between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, was sent on May 24, 1844-one day after the Baha'i Faith commenced in Persia. The words chosen for that telegraphic message were quoted from the Book of Numbers, 23:23: What hath God wrought! Morse was a born-again Christian. He felt "the assurance that his Creator had chosen him to be a great benefactor to mankind." (YL p. 113) His invention anchored the age of electronic communications. It was given to mankind by God to provide the means whereby humanity could live as one fold (joh 10:16), and to enable the birth of a world civilization wherein humanity could freely communicate. (16:49) see

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