We present to you statements
made by the Baha'i religion regarding Joseph Smith and his prophesies. It is not often that you
see one religion that is clearly wrong in support of another of the same. Maybe
a more appropriate name for their church should be "The Church of Joseph
Smith of Baha'u'llah."
We post this information as a resource only.
We do
NOT support this organization.
AN INTRODUCTION FOR MORMONS (& Latter Day Saints)
Dear Seeker of Truth,
The Baha'is (Bah-highz), the followers of Baha'u'llah, welcome you! Many of us believe that Joseph Smith was a Seer: an ordinary man blessed by God with visions, prophecies, and the visitation of angels. Some of us believe that he prophesied of the coming of the Founder of our Faith. We invite you to take 15 or 20 minutes to read this brief article, and see for yourself. This website can be read online, or you can print it out and read it (about 21 laser-printed pages). You can print out most of the links below: including The Greatest Prophecy of Joseph Smith!. But, for the moment, sit back and relax and enjoy reading this article here and now. It's not long, and it may give you a larger appreciation of Joseph Smith and his prophetic abilities than you can imagine!
Introduction
The Baha'i Faith is an international independent World Religion with 7.6 million followers (as of Jan. 1st, 2000) in almost 200 countries. The Faith was founded by Baha'u'llah (pronounced "Bah-HAH-oo-LAH"): Who claimed to be the Spirit of Truth, the Son of Man, the Holy Ghost Incarnate, and the Return of Christ in the Glory of the Father.
Holy Ghost Incarnate
Many Latter-day Saints are awaiting the incarnation of the Holy Ghost; when He shall take upon Himself a body--like Jesus did. Baha'is are not waiting; for they know that He has already come to the earth, lived His life, and ascended back into Heaven! Joseph Smith said in 1843 that the Holy Ghost was in a "state of Probation"; which means living an earthly life in mortality (1 Nephi 10:21, 2 Nephi 2:2,30; 33:9, Mormon 9:28). Apostle Franklin R. Richards reported:
"Joseph Smith also said that the Holy Ghost is now in a state of Probation which, if He should perform in righteousness, He may pass through the same or similar course of things that the Son has." (Words of Joseph Smith, p.245)
When Joseph Smith said "now" he means 1843 and not sometime in the future!
The moment Joseph the Seer made that statement, and on the other side of the globe, Baha'u'llah was living His mortal life as Prince Husayn Ali of Noor in Persia (now Iran).
Jesus Himself promised:
Baha'u'llah wrote of Himself:
"Verily, He Who is the Spirit of Truth is now come to guide you unto all truth. He speaketh not as prompted by His own self, but as bidden by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Say, this is the One Who hath glorified the Son and hath exalted His Cause." (Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p.12)
Some people believe that Joseph Smith was the "Holy Ghost incarnate", but he never claimed to be! But he did say was that the Holy Ghost was somewhere, living a mortal probation, in April of 1843.
Christians believe that the Holy Ghost is a Spirit Who came at Pentecost, inspired the Apostles to write the New Testament, and the Bible is thus the only guide to teach all truth. Mormons believe that the Holy Ghost is a Spirit-Man Who must come and "get a body". Most believe this will take place at the end of the Millennium; although no LDS Scripture says this anywhere! It is simply a tradition.
The Millennial Kingdom
The Mission of Baha'u'llah was to establish the Millennial Kingdom on earth. The Church and the Millennial Kingdom are NOT the same! The purpose of the Church and the Kingdom is explained in Doctrine and Covenants section 65 (LDS edition). The purpose of the Church is to preach the Gospel and redeem the dead. The purpose of the Kingdom is to establish peace, justice, and the Will of God upon all the nations of the earth. Mormon Apostle James E. Talmage wrote:
"The Kingdom of God is the Church established by divine authority upon the earth; this institution asserts no claim to temporal rule over the nations; its sceptre of power is that of the Holy Priesthood, to be used in the preaching of the gospel and in administering its ordinances for the salvation of mankind living and dead." (Jesus the Christ p.788)
Many Mormons assume that the Millennial Kingdom will be ruled by the Holy Priesthood, but this is a false assumption. The Holy Priesthood is for preaching the Gospel and performing its ordinances; not the temportal rule of the nations.
The Baha'i Faith claims to be that kingdom which shall rule over the nations, but makes no claimto perform Gospel ordinances; nor to even have a Holy Priesthood.
The Baha'i Faith is not a Church! It has no Priesthood. It has no gospel ordinances. It is that divine system of government which would be set up in the last days, by Christ, to rule the nations. It is a separate and distinct organization from the Church. It is the Millennial Kingdom. The saying "The Priesthood must rule the nations" cannot be found in LDS Scripture, but comes from a tradition first formed in the minds of uinspired men and women talking in Sunday School. It is popular Folk-Mormonism; not divine revelation. What is divine revelation is that the Kingdom of God is preparatory for the Kingdom of Heaven (see Doc. and Cov. sec. 65), and that the two are not the same.
In 1917, Apostle James E. Talmage asked the Saints in General Conference:
"Do you believe that the Kingdom of Heaven has been already set up upon the earth? I do not. I know that the Kingdom of God is a preparation for the Kingdom of Heaven, which is yet to come. ***The Kingdom of God is the Church of Christ; the Kingdom of Heaven is that system of government and administration which is operative in heaven, and which we pray may some day prevail on earth. The Kingdom of Heaven will be established when the King shall come, and come He shall, in power and might and glory, to take dominion in and over and through-out the earth." (Conference Reports, 6 April 1917, p.65)
For a further explanation of the Millennial Kingdom see The Greatest Prophecy of Joseph Smith! below!
History of the Faith
The Faith began with the preaching of Siyyid Muhammad Ali, called "The Bab" (Arabic: "The Gate"). He claimed to be the Mahdi ("Guided One") of Islam. Like Joseph Smith, The Bab (pronounced "Bahb") was martyred by a firing squad in Tabriz, Persia (now Iran) in 1852. At that martyrdom, there was a great miracle; witnessed by thousands of people, and recorded in Baha'i books, and European newspapers of the day.
The Bab taught doctrines considered "heretical" to Orthodox Islam; like Jesus being the Son of God, the equality of men and women, that science and religion do not contradict each other, etc. For these things, He and His followers were violently opposed by the Muslim Clergy and government of Persia at the time.
The Bab claimed to be the Forerunner, the "John the Baptist", of One greater than Himself. Baha'is know that this Greater One is Baha'u'llah (Arabic: "The Glory of God"). He was born Prince Husayn Ali of Noor (a province in northern Persia--now Iran) in 1817. He became a disciple of The Bab in 1845, and, in 1852, He was sent to the Black Pit of Teheran; the most miserable prison in all the country.
While in the Black Pit, Baha'u'llah (a title given to Him by The Bab) had a vision of the Maid of Heaven (the Angel Fatimah) Who told Him that He was the Promised One of all ages; the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth who was to teach mankind all things. Twenty thousand followers of The Bab were killed outright; including men, women, and children. Prince Husayn, because He was of royal blood (he was a descendant of Persian kings, as well as a descendant of the Davidic royal house of Israel) He was not killed, but jailed and then exiled.
He was first exiled to Baghdad, in Iraq; then part of the Turkish Empire. Finally, Baha'u'llah, His family, and His closest followers were exiled to the prison city of Akka, Palestine (now Israel). Baha'u'llah spent decades in that prison city; writing Tablets (books and epistles) from which the Millennial Kingdom (called the World Order of Baha'u'llah) would be built in the last days. He also made numerous prophecies; all of which have come to pass, and more which shall come to pass.
Baha'u'llah also performed divine healings, and miracles. Above all, He testified of Jesus Christ, that He was the Son of God, the Spirit of God, the "Lord of the Visible and the Invisible" (Gleanings, p.57), and "the Lord of all being." (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p.100). The eldest son of Baha'u'llah, who was also the Examplar and Interpreter of the Faith, was named 'Abdu'l-Baha (Arabic: "The Servant of Glory"). He called Jesus "the very Savior of man." (The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p.63)
'Abdu'l-Baha, the eldest son of Baha'u'llah, claimed to be His Interpreter, and taught, among other things, eternal marriage, and the pre-existence of spirits:
"The spirit is independent of the body, and in relation to it the spirit is an essential pre-existence." (Some Answered Questions, p.322)
Just before 'Abdu'l-Baha passed-away He appointed His grandson, Shoghi Effendi, to become the Guardian of the Faith. The Guardian administered the Faith until his death in 1957. Baha'u'llah wrote that the Faith would be governed by a council of nine men called "The Universal House of Justice". This council was first elected by Baha'i delegates from all over the world in 1963. The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing body of the Baha'i Faith.
1890-91
Joseph Smith prophecied that the "Son of Man" would come in the years 1890-91. You can read one version of this prophecy in D&C section 130; where the Lord tells Joseph Smith that if he lived to the age of 85 (which would be 1890-91) he would "see the face of the Son of Man". This makes no sense at all if the "Son of Man" refers to Jesus; since Joseph Smith had seen His face many times in visions. It only makes sense when one discovers that this refers to the "Son of Man in heaven" Who is in fact the Holy Ghost.
Mormon scholars and historians have tried over the years to explain this away; calling his clear prophecies "off-the-cuff remarks" or "personal opinions". Still others have tried to say that this was a true prophecy, but wasn't fulfilled because "the Saints weren't prepared", or some other reason. Yet, a true prophet, or seer, cannot utter a prophecy which fails to come to pass. To do so would make him a false prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18-22). Joseph Smith was indeed inspired of God, and he did indeed prophesy, in the name of Christ and let it be written, that "the Son of Man" would unveil His face in the years 1890-91 (see The Greatest Prophecy of Joseph Smith! below). Many Baha'is know what most Mormons don't know; that this prophecy was fulfilled to the letter!
In the early 19th century a man appeared
in Germany and proclaimed that God had showed him, in a vision, that Christ
would return to earth on the slopes of Mount Carmel, in the Holy Land,
near the Cave of Elijah. This man formed a group of Protestant monks called the
Templars, and, in the late 1850s, they moved from Germany to Haifa; the city on
the coast between Mt. Carmel and the sea. There they established a colony,
called the "German Colony" or the "Templar Colony"; near the
northern slopes of Mount Carmel. On the posts of their doors, and over their
windows, they wrote in the words
Baha'u'llah had been exiled to Baghdad from His native land, then forced to go to Adrianople (in Turkey). Finally, the Sultan of Turkey banished Him (and His followers) to the prison city of Akka; in what is now northern Israel. Baha'u'llah was released from that prison city, and lived in a large house on a small island in the river which flowed from Nazareth to Akka. This small island is called Bahji (the "j" is pronouced like the "s" in pleasure).
From His the prison city of Akka He wrote hundreds of books, and thousands of epistles, to everyone from the Pope, to the Sultan, to the Kings of Europe, and to the lowliest of His disciples. At Bahji too, He wrote letters, and lived in an apartment behind a >white veil. Only His family and chosen disciples were allowed to pass through the veil and see His Face.
Baha'u'llah wrote:
"The Voice of the Son of Man is calling aboud from the sacred veil: 'Here am I, here am I, O God, My God!' The Father hath come. That which ye were promised in the Kingdom of God is fulfilled." (The World Order of Baha'u'llah,p.105)
Then, in the year 1890, He came out and travelled south (about 20 miles) to Haifa, and Their He pitched His tent upon Mount Carmel; next to the Cave of Elijah, on the northern slopes a stone's throw away from the Templar Colony. There, in 1891, He wrote the *Tablet of Carmel* in which He says "Call out to Zion, O Carmel, and announce the joyful tidings: He that was hidden from mortal eyes is come!" (Tablets of Baha'u'llah, pp.4-5). Before 1890, Baha'u'llah hid His Face in solitude in His apartment , with the entrance-way covered with a white veil, in His mansion near Akka, Israel. Then, in 1890, He unveiled His Face to all who would come and see Him. The LORD told Joseph Smith that should he live until he was 85 years old (1890-91) he would see "the Face of the Son of Man" (D&C 130).
Holy Spirit of Promise
The Church and the Kingdom are NOT the same (see D&C sec. 65). We invite you to discover the Holy Spirit of Promise: BAHA'U'LLAH ("Baha-oo-lah"). He is the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth, the Holy Ghost Incarnate; the Holy Spirit of Promise come to seal the Elect unto Eternal Life.
Seers Prepare the Way
Baha'is believe that God has sent many Seers to prepare the way for the Advent of Baha'u'llah; ordinary men and women who receive heavenly visions and the visitation of angels. They came in the early to mid 19th-century, and long before, in many nations of the earth; to prepare the way for the coming of The Glory of God.
Sara Ryan Bloomfield, and early Baha'i missionary and writer, wrote of one of these Seers, a Muslim holy man from India, who had a vision of Baha'u'llah; more than a thousand years before He came. Lady Bloomfield (she was a British noblewoman) wrote:
"It is related that an account is given of an Indian Muslim, a holy man of the eight century A.D., who, speaking of the 'Great Day of God' to come, uttered these words:
"In that day the Holy One will be found abiding in a land called Karkh. He will walk beside a river, wearing the dervish turban, and wrapped in a red robe. He will be teaching His followers on the banks of the river. Would that I might be priviledged to enter His Presence, and to shed my life-blood in His Path."
"The red robe which Baha'u'llah wore when He was teaching His followers on the banks of the River Tigris was made of some pieces of Persian Tirmih. Karkh is the name of the district of Baghdad in which the Holy One [Baha'u'llah] dwelt." (The Chosen Highway, p.243)
In a revelation to Joseph the Seer, in the Doctrine and Covenants, we read:
"And it shall be said: Who is this that cometh down from God in heaven with dyed garments; yea, from the regions which are not know, clothed in his glorious apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength?
And he shall say: I am he who spake in righteousness, mighty to save.
And the Lord shall be red in his apparel, and his garments like him that treadeth the wine vat, and so great shall be the glory of his presence, that the sun shall hide his face in shame, and the moon shall withold its light; and the starts shall be hurled from their places." (D&C 133:46-9 RLDS Edition: D&C 108:9)
Baha'u'llah spent two years of His life living in the hills of Kurdistan (Northern Iraq) teaching the Dervishes (Muslim holy men) of that land. In honor of His great wisdom and mercy, the Dervishes gave Him one of their turbans to wear; which He did for the rest of His life. Thus, Baha'u'llah wore a Dervish turban and a red robe while He sat near the Tigris River in the Karkh district of Baghdad in the years between His exile from Persia and His exile in Akka, the Holy Land.
The great Native American Seer Wovoka (who was an orphan raised by white Mormon parents) declared in the year 1890:
"Do not tell the white people about this. Jesus, the Messiah, is now upon the earth. He appears like a cloud." (The Ghost-Dance Religion and the Sioux Outbreak of 1890, p.781)
Baha'u'llah wrote:
"O Jews! If ye be intent on crucifying once again Jesus, the Spirit of God, put Me to death, for He hath once more, in My person, been made manifest unto you." (Gleanings, p.100)
He also wrote to Pope Pius IX the following:
"O Pope! Rend the veils asunder. He Who is the Lord of Lords is come overshadowing with clouds,...He, verily, has come down from Heaven even as He came down the first time." (Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, p.83
Jesus said:
"For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels." (Matt. 16:27)
Baha'u'llah claimed to be the "Father" and the "Spirit of Truth". The Lord told Joseph the Seer:
"Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of Truth." (D&C 93:23)
Please remember that Joseph Smith did not prophesy that "Jesus" would appear in the years 1890-91, but the "Son of Man" would. Baha'u'llah is not the return of Jesus; but He is the Son of Man. He is the other Son of Man: the Holy Ghost incarnate! The Spirit of Truth! In Zechariah, chapters 4 and 5, the prophet speaks about not one but two anointed ones who stand beside the Most High. The first is Yeh'o'shuah (Jesus), and the second is Baha'u'llah: the First and Second Comforters. They are The Son and The Holy Ghost. The title Christ is from the Greek, and means "Anointed One". Zechariah speaks of two; not one.
The name "Baha'u'llah" is Arabic for "The Glory of God". Jesus spoke Aramaic; a language closely related to Arabic. Jesus' real name is not "Jesus" (from the Greek "Iesus"), but Yeh'o'shuah: which means "Yeh [Jehovah] is Salvation".
What is meant by the clouds of Heaven, and how the signs in the heavens have already been fulfilled is explained in the book Thief in the Night. You can get a copy of this book for free by attending a Baha'i Fireside (informal chat in a Baha'i home) near where you live. If you don't wish to attend a Fireside, then you can discover more about Baha'u'llah by either asking for a free information packet (1-800-22-UNITE) or by ordering a 80-page booklet called Every Eye Shall See.
His Mission
The Mission of Baha'u'llah was to bring the Millennial Kingdom on earth. This would be a literal Kingdom which would eventually rule all nations under the Law of God. He taught that the World would be united under certain Principles and Divine Institutions. The Principles are listed below. The Divine Institutions are the Houses of Justice; headed by the Universal House of Justice (see below).
Signs in the Heavens
Before Baha'u'llah was born, and before His Declaration, there were certain signs in the heavens; celestial phenomenon such as the Sun becoming dark, the Moon appearing as blood, and the stars appearing to fall from the heavens. You can read about these heavenly signs in the book Thief in the Night by William Sears (300 pages). Free copies of the book are available at Baha'i Firesides (see below)
Mormon Prophecies
For more information on Mormon prophecies concerning Baha'u'llah, please click on *Mormon Prophecies Fulfilled in the Baha'i Faith...* below.
If you would like to know for yourself if Joseph Smith truly prophecied of Baha'u'llah then you need to read The Greatest Prophecy of Joseph Smith! (click below). After that, we encourage you to call to attend a Baha'i Fireside, or call for free information at the number at the bottom of this page.
Basic Baha'i Beliefs
Baha'is believe in God, His Prophets, Angels, Holy Writings, Precepts (Divine Laws), and the Afterlife. We believe that Baha'u'llah is the Return of Christ in the Glory of the Father. We believe that The Bab is the Imam Mahdi (expected Herald) of Islam. We believe in the Plurality of the Manifestations of God, in the Pre-existence of the spirits of all men and women, in Salvation for the Dead, in Eternal Marriage, and in journeying through the Worlds of God after death. The Faith forbids adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior (condemns the behavior but not the person), polygamy, alcohol, backbiting, and elective abortion. It discourages smoking, divorce, pornography, and unhealthy living. It recommends (but doesn't require) vegitarianism, and other forms of healthy dieting. It requires daily prayer, fasting for 19 days a year, tithing, obedience to its Divine Institutions and Holy Laws, teaching the Faith to others, and pilgrimage to its Holy Shrines.
The Faith has always taught that all Religions are One (are rooted in the Revelations of God, but have become corrupted over time), all of Humanity are one, that all Races are equal and that mankind must relinquish their ethnic and racial prejudices and hatreds, that woman are the equal of men and should be granted all the opportunities available, that a new ecomonic system is coming to eliminate the extremes of poverty and wealth, that a universal language should be established, that true Religion and science agree, that there should be Universal Education for all, and that the World Order of Baha'u'llah shall finally bring World Peace to all the nations of Earth.
The Manifestations of God
Baha'is do not believe that Jesus is the only Son of God. They believe that He is the "Only Begotten Son of God"; meaning the only Son of God born of a virgin. Baha'is believed in a number of Sinless Prophets which we call "Manifestations of God"; which include the following:
*Adam *Enoch *Noah *Abraham *Moses *Krishna *Zoroaster *Buddha *Jesus *Muhammad *The Bab *Baha'u'llah
In one sense, in the Station of Essential Unity, all of these Manifestation of God are equal; since they all reveal His Will to mankind. In another sense, in the Station of Distinction, the Manifestations of God have distinct Missions and various Ranks. 'Abdu'l-Baha has written that there are basically three ranks:
The Father
The Son
The Servants
Baha'u'llah is considered the "Lord of the Vineyard" in Jesus' Parable by that name (see Mark chapter 12), and Jesus is considered the Son, and the Servants refer to the rest of the Messengers of God. The Mission of Jesus was to save the souls of all mankind. The Mission of Baha'u'llah was to save Humanity as a whole from self-destruction by the establishment of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth via the 12 Principles of the Faith.
Baha'i World Centre
The headquarters of the Faith is located at the Baha'i World Centre, in the city of Haifa, Israel, on the northern slopes of Mt. Carmel. The Baha'i World Centre includes the following buildings:
The Seat of the Universal House of Justice
The Center for the Study of the Sacred Texts
The International Teaching Centre
The Archives
The Library
Also at the Baha'i World Centre is the beautiful Shrine of The Bab; which contains His remains. The Baha'i World Centre is sometimes referred to as "The Arc"; because it is in the shape of an arc; just as Mormons call the square that holds the Salt Lake Temple "Temple Square". Plans are also for a large Baha'i Temple at the top of Mount Carmel sometime in the future. Photos of these beautiful shrines and buildings can be found in the links below.
The Baha'i Faith is governed by a group of nine men referred to collectively as The Universal House of Justice. They are elected by the Baha'is every 5 years. They are not considered as prophets nor seers, but their collective decisions are considered infallibly inspired by the Holy Spirit (i.e. Baha'u'llah). They administer the Faith from a beautiful building which is referred to as The Seat of the Universal House of Justice (see photo below).
Baha'is in the United States
There are currently about 130,000 Baha'is in the United States; with one Baha'i Temple (in the U.S.) in Wilmette, Illinois, just north of Chicago. Baha'i Temples do not contain any gospel ordinances. Rather, they are basically tabernacles for the praise and worship of God. Baha'i Temples have nothing comparible to an Endowment Ceremony. Baha'is consider Baha'u'llah to be the "Lord behind the veil", and they consider His Kingdom to be the Celestial Kingdom of God on earth. Baha'is are expected to go on a Pilgrimage at least once in their lives; which means visiting the Holy Shrines of the Faith in and around Bahji and Haifa, Israel.
Joseph Smith the Seer
The Guardian of the Baha'i Faith, the late Shoghi Effendi (who was the grandson of 'Abdu'l-Baha and the great-grandson of Baha'u'llah) believed and preached that Joseph Smith was a "Seer". In Muslim countries, Seers are called "Muhaddathoon" (Arabic: "Those spoken to [by God or angels]"). They are not referred to as "Prophets" because in Islam (as in the Baha'i Faith) a Prophet is sinless. A Muhaddath is basically an ordinary sinful human being who receives divine revelation from God. Thus, Baha'is do not refer to Joseph Smith as a "Prophet" (i.e. " a sinless Manifestation of God"), but they can and often do refer to him as a "Seer".
Some Baha'is believe that Mormon Temples testify of Baha'u'llah just as the Jewish Temple testified of the coming of Christ. Jesus came as the spotless Lamb of God and gave His blood for the sins of all mankind. The Jewish Temple was all about atonement for sin. In Mormon Temples people stand behind a white veil and give signs and tokens, and then the veil is parted so that they might enter the Presence of the Lord. Baha'u'llah lived behind a white veil over the entrance to His Presence for most of His life, and He called His Kingdom "the Celestial Kingdom".
The Jews, the Chosen People of God, rejected the very One in whom their Temple, their rituals, their Priesthood, and all their prayers looked forward to; because they chose to follow their High Priests (the Sadducees) or their ministers (the Pharisees) instead of asking God, in sincere prayer, if Jesus was the Messiah. They trusted instead in "the arm of flesh", and it cost them their salvation.
Jesus did not ask them nor require of them to leave their Temple, nor their Priesthood. He only asked them to recognize Him; the very Being Whom their Temple and their rituals testified of. They saw their Temple, and their Priesthood, as their salvation; instead of what they truly were: mere types and shadows of the Promised One.
The Message of Baha'u'llah to all Believers in Jesus Christ is:
"Followers of the Gospel, behold the gates of Heaven are flung open. He that had ascended unto it is now come. Give ear to His voice calling aloud over land and sea, announcing to all mankind the advent of this Revelation--a Revelation though the agency of which the Tongue of Grandeur is now proclaiming: Lo, Spirit of Truth is come, the sacred pledge hath been fulfilled, for He, the Promised One, is come!" (Words of Baha'u'llah,p.104)
Conclusion
We hope you've enjoyed this article on The Baha'i Faith! We hope that it has increased your appreciation of Joseph Smith and his prophetic abilities. Please feel free to print-out any of the articles listed below. Should you wish to contact the Baha'is in your area we have provided below (under the links) information that will help you. May peace be with you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How can this Baha'u'llah be "the Return of Christ" when Jesus is the Christ?
A. Please read The Greatest Prophecy of Joseph Smith! It explains, using quotes from The Book of Mormon how Jesus and Christ became one in "Jesus Christ" (read Ether 3:14!). You will also see in that article where Joseph Smith prophesies in the name of the Lord God that the Son of Man would unveil His Face in the year 1890. An early Mormon Apostle, Lyman Wight, said on June 9th, 1830:
"And the Spirit fell upon Lyman, and he prophesied concerning the coming of Christ. He said that there were some in the congregation that should live until the Savior should descend from heaven with a shout, with all the holy angels with Him. He said the coming of the Savior should be like the Sun rising in the East, and will cover the whole earth." (History of the Church, vol. 1, chapter 15, note 4)
Joseph the Seer said:
"But the Son of Man will come as the sign of the Son of Man, which will be as the light of the morning cometh out of the East." (History of the Church 5:337)
Baha'u'llah wrote:
"In the East the Light of His Revelation hath broken; in the West the signs of His dominion have appeared." (Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p.13)
'Abdu'l-Baha has declared:
"In the Holy Books it is recorded that when the Sun of Truth dawns it will appear in the East, and its light will be reflected in the West. Already its dawning has taken place in the East, and its signs are appearing in the West." (Promulgation of Universal Peace 23:2)
The Prophet Ezekiel had a vision of the latter-days, and wrote:
"The glory of the God of Israel came by the way of the East." (Ezekiel 43:2)
In Arabic, Baha'u'llah means "The Glory of God".
Q. The Church of Jesus Christ is the Only True Church on the face of the whole Earth. They can't be two "true Churches"! How can the LDS Church and the Baha'i Faith both be "true" at the same time?
A. The Baha'i Faith is not a "Church"! It has no gospel ordinances. It is the Millennial Kingdom of Heaven upon the Earth. In the Explanatory of Doctrine & Covenants section 65 (LDS edition) Edition we read:
"1-2 Keys of the Kingdom of God are committed to man on earth, and the gospel cause shall triumph; 3-6 the millennial kingdom of heaven shall come and join the kingdom of God on earth." (D&C p.122)
When Joseph Smith went into the Sacred Grove to pray, he wasn't asking which religion was true, but which sect of Christianity was true. The Baha'i Faith is not a sect or denomination or division of any other religion. It is not a "church". It is an independent World Religion. It is just what it claims to be: the Millennial Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
Q. If the Baha'i Faith is truly the "Millennial Kingdom", then why isn't the earth experiencing universal peace?
A. Universal peace on earth is not automatic. It takes time. Baha'u'llah spoke of the "Lesser Peace" and the "Most Great Peace". The Lesser Peace was established in 1957; when the European Union came into being. Since that time, all the nations of this Union have been at peace with each other. Eventually, all nations will become one in a World Union, and fall under the guidance of Baha'u'llah via the Universal House of Justice. At that time, the Most Great Peace shall be established and true peace between all nations shall reign.
Q. But we're taught that all the wicked shall be consumed by fire when the Lord returns! How then could Baha'u'llah be Christ Returned?
A. The destruction of the wicked, the cleaving of the Mount of Olives, the healing of the waters of the Dead Sea, the meeting at Adam-ondi-Ahman, the Day of Judgment, the Battle of God and Magog, all these things take place at the end of the Millennium, and not at the beginning! Brigham Young taught:
"Do you expect that every person will be destroyed from the face of the earth, but the Latter-day Saints? If you do, you will be mistaken. Many of our Elders labor under these erroneous expectations when reading over the sayings of the Apostles and Prophets in regard to the coming of the Son of Man. In one verse the Prophet will be describing the second coming previous to the commencement of the Millennium, and perhaps in the same verse he will describe a scene that will take place after the Millennium, and when the earth will be cleansed of all wickedness, after Satan has been let loose a little season, and had another tour upon it, and after it is renovated and becomes sanctified, and is like a sea of glass, as John describes it. Will this be in the Millennium? No. But the order of society will be as it is when Christ comes to reign a thousand years; there will be every sort of sect and party, and every individual following what he supposes to be the best in religion, and in everything else, similar to what it is now." (Journal of Discourses 2:316)
The Lord told Joseph the Seer:
"When the thousands years are ended, and men again begin to deny their God, then will I spare the earth for a little season; and the end shall come, and the heaven and earth shall be consumed and pass away, and there shall be a new heaven and a new earth, for all old things shall pass away, and all things shall become new, even the heavens and the earth, and the fullness thereof, both men and beasts, the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea." (D&C 29:22-4)
Q. We believe that the LDS Church is guided by "Prophets, Seers, and Revelators". Why haven't they told us that Baha'u'llah is the return of Christ?
A. The LDS Church claims to be the Priesthood of God. The authorized Priesthood of God at the time of Jesus were the Sadducees. They were the high priests, priests, and Levites. They failed to recognize Jesus; although they expected Christ to come. They were not a false priesthood, but the one true Priesthood of God on earth; at that time. Why didn't they recognize Jesus as their Messiah? Had the High Priests asked the Lord, in true sincerety, the Lord would have told them! But, alas, they didn't bother to ask! Why? Various reasons. Perhaps because they came to trust their own reasoning powers instead of going and asking the Lord in humble prayer. For them, Jesus was "just another" false messiah; one of many. He didn't come as they expected; from heaven, but rather from the womb of an unmarried woman. The Brethren are the 'Presiding High Priests'. Why don't they ask the Lord if Baha'u'llah is Christ returned in the Glory of the Father? Because they see no need to even ask Him. Why? For the same reason the High Priests in Jesus' time didn't bother to ask the Lord. The Lord knew of this, and this is why He told Joseph the Seer:
"And at that time, when I shall come in my glory, shall the parable be fulfilled which I spake concerning the ten virgins.
57 For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived--verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day.
***
59 For the Lord shall be in their midst, and his glory shall be upon them, and he will be their king and their lawgiver." (D&C 45:56-7,59)
Who are the ten wise and foolish virgins? They represent Members of the Church. In Jesus' parable, all are invited to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. But 5 have oil in their lamps, and 5 do not. The 5 who do are "wise", and the 5 who don't are "foolish". The oil in the lamb represents the Holy Spirit. Most Mormons believe that by following The Brethren (Mormon leaders) they are in fact following the Holy Spirit; since, they reason, the Holy Spirit guides The Brethren, and The Brethren guide the Saints.
The Jews thought the same of their leaders.
The Sadducees were in fact the Jewish Church, but the leaders failed to accept the Messiah when He came because to them He was just another "false christ"; one of many. And the people followed their leaders. They were followers instead of Seekers!
Q. But we trust these Brethren! They would never lead us astray! They are very good and inspired men of God! How can you even compare them with the Sadducees?
A. The Sadducees were the Priesthood of God's Temple. They were not evil men, but they were the High Priests, and Priests, and Levites. They were the one authorized Priesthood of God. They officiated in His Temple. They were highly educated. They were affluent; which was a sign to them that they were the favored of God. They were moralmen and women; they strained to keep every commandment! They had strong families and healthy children. They lacked only one thing: the Spirit of Discernment. (see Following The Brethren in the links above).
The leaders of the LDS Church (The Brethren), and the RLDS Church (The Joint Council) are good, righteous, sincere men (and in the case of the RLDS Church--women as well). They are both, respectively, performing divine missions. Both are preparing the way for the Lord; but in different ways. But Mormons (LDS) and Latter Day Saints (RLDS) should not look to their leaders for their eternal salvation! Nor to guide them to all Truth. Joseph Smith himself taught this:
"President Joseph Smith read the 14th chapter of Ezekiel--said the Lord had declared by the Prophet, that the people should each one stand for himself, and depend on no man or set of men in that state of corruption of the Jewish Church--that righteous persons could only deliver their own souls--applied it to the present state of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints--said if the people departed from the Lord, they must fall--that they were depending on the Prophet--hence were darkened in their minds,...." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.237)
The Seer himself taught that if Latter-day Saints depend upon their leaders they will become like the apostate Jewish Church, and they will fall. Instead of human guides, Latter-day Saints must have the Holy Spirit as their one and only Guide! If not, they cannot enter the Celestial Kingdom.
Brigham Young also taught that if the Saints put their faith and trust in "the Brethren" instead upon relying solely on the Lord they "will never be capable of entering into the Celestial Glory". (Journal of Discourse 1:312)
The Lord said to Joseph the Seer:
"This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;" (D&C 88:4-5)
Baha'u'llah wrote:
"The Comforter Whose advent all the Scriptures have promised in now come that He may reveal unto you all the knowledge and wisdom. over the entire surface of the earth, haply ye may find Him;...." (Words of Baha'u'llah, p.12)
Q. It reads in the Doctrine & Covenants that "the Son of Man cometh not in the form of a woman, neither in the form of a man traveling on the earth." (D&C 49:22). Doesn't this prove that Baha'u'llah cannot be the Son of Man?
It also says in the Doctrine and Covenants this:
"And it shall be said: Who is this that cometh down from God in heaven with dyed garments; yea; from the regions which are not known, clothed in his glorious apprel, traveling in the greatness of his strengh?
47 And he shall say: I am he who spake in righteouness, mighty to save.
48 And the Lord shall be red in his apparel, and his garments like him that treadeth in the wine-vat." (D&C 133:46-8)
Jesus said:
"For the Son of Man shall come in the Glory of His Father...." (Matt. 16:27)
"When the Son of Man shall come in His Glory...then He will sit upon the throne of His Glory...." (Matt. 25:31ff.)
Baha in Arabic means "Glory".
Baha'i means "belonging to Glory".
Baha'u'llah means "the Glory of God".
Baha'u'llah was a prisoner, and could not freely 'travel on the earth' as most men could.
Q. D&C section 130 says that "the Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Sprit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us." (D&C 130:22). Doesn't this prove that the Holy Ghost can't be Baha'u'llah because when this revelation was given Baha'u'llah was alive upon the earth and had a body?
A. The Holy Ghost is a Spirit. The very name "Ghost" means "Spirit". Thus, by definition, the Holy Spirit is always a "Spirit". But that Spirit can incarnate into a human temple. This doesn't mean that the Holy Spirit becomes "flesh and bone", but that the Holy Spirit is joined with "flesh and bone". The body of the Manifestation of God becomes the place of rest, or vehicle, or pure container, for the Holy Spirit. Thus, the Father (Baha'u'llah) and the Son (Jesus) have bodies of flesh and bone, but the Holy Ghost does not, but is a Spirit. In one ancient Christian writing, The Gospel of the Hebrews, it says:
"And it came to pass when the Lord (Jesus) was come up out of the water, the whole fount of the Holy Spirit descended upon him and rested upon him and said to him: My Son, in all the prophets was I waiting for thee that thou shouldest come and I might rest in thee. For thou art my rest; thou art my firstbegotten Son that reigneth for ever." (New Testament Apocrypha 1:164)
Jesus was the "Rest" (dwelling-place) of the Lord (Holy Spirit). Baha'is believe this was true also of Baha'u'llah.
One ancient sect of Jewish Christians believed that "the Son of God had many times manifested Himself in the world in the persons of righteous men, that Jesus Christ was such a Manifestation" and that God had sent to the Earth "the Holy Spirit from time to time in the form of individual men (Adam, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Jesus) as the True Prophet, constantly announcing the very same Truth, and in Jesus caused it also to be communicated to the heathen." (from John Henry Blunt's Dictionary of Sects, Ecclesiatical Parties, and Schools of Religious Thought, pp.141-2). This sect, unlike all other Christian sects, claimed to have the Melchizedek Priesthood (Dict. of Sects, p.363)
Q. Are you saying that Jesus was merely a Prophet, one among many, and not the One unique Son of God?
A. No!. Jesus was the Only Begotten Son of God! Adam was "the Son of God" (Luke 3:38), but not His Only Begotten. All the Manifestation of God are the "Sons of God", but Their stations (ranks) are not equal. 'Abdu'l-Baha wrote that the Manifestaions have three ranks or stations: Father, Son, and Messenger. Jesus was in the rank (station) of the Son (see Baha'i Teachings About Jesus in the links above). See also Mark chapter 12!
Q. But how can Baha'u'llah be Christ returned when in fact the signs in the Heaven--like the sun turning dark, the moon appearing as blood, and the stars falling from heaven--haven't yet occurred?
A. They have! Baha'is believe that the "sun darkening" and the "moon appearing as blood" and the "stars falling from heaven" have both literal and metaphorical fulfillments. The literal fulfillment of these signs have already occurred. Baha'is believe that the Sun turned dark and the Moon appeared as blood on the "Dark Day" of May 8th, 1790. It's called the "Dark Day" by historians because on this day the Sun darkened at noon (there was no eclipse) and the Moon appeared as blood. Baha'is believe that the fallings of the stars occurred on November 13th, 1833; called by historians "The Night of the Falling Stars". Joseph Smith himself believed that this fulfilled the prophecies of Matthew chapter 24! In his journal on that night he wrote:
"About 4 o'clock a.m., I was awakened by Brother Davis knocking at my door, and calling on me to arise and behold the signs in the heavens. I arose, and, to my great joy, beheld the stars fall from heaven like a show of hailstones; a literal fulfillment of the word of God, as recorded in the Scriptures, and a sure sign that the coming of Christ is close at hand." (History of the Church 1:439)
Mormon Apostle Parley P. Pratt, wrote:
"About 2 o'clock the next morning [Nov. 13th], we were called up by the cry of signs in the heavens. We arose, and to our great astonishment all the firmament seemed involved in splendid fireworks, as if every star in the broad expanse had been hurled from its course, and sent lawless through the wilds of ether. Thousands of bright meteors were shooting through space in every direction, with long trains of light following in their course. This lasted for several hours, and was only closed by the dawn of the rising sun. Every heart was filled with joy at this majestic display of signs and wonders, showing the near approach of the coming of the Son of God." (Autobiography of Parley P. Pratt, p.110)
The current popular belief among Mormons is that the "falling of the stars" has not yet occurred, but Joseph Smith and his original apostles believed otherwise. All of these signs in the Heavens are explained in detail in Thief in the Night by William Sears.
Q. Why should we accept Baha'u'llah as Christ returned based only upon the claim that he was?
A. Baha'is expect nobody to accept Baha'u'llah merely because He claimed to be! Christ said (in Jesus) "My sheep hear my voice!" The sheep hear and recognize the voice of the Shepherd. All Baha'is ask of Mormons is that they come here His voice. This is possible by hearing the words of Baha'u'llah being spoken in your own langugage (whether an audible language or by sign-language). Once you hear the words of Baha'u'llah, the Spirit will reveal to you if He is of God or not. To do that, you need to attend a Baha'i Fireside, and listen to His Words being read.
Mormon missionaries tell people the following:
'Find out for yourself (i.e. Don't trust your priest or pastor to find out for you), but rather put your faith in God alone, and He will tell you the truth of these things!'
This is excellent advice! Unfortunately, many Mormons think they are exempt from their own advice! They believe that by putting full--unquestioning--faith and trust in their leaders, they are showing God their faith and trust in Him. They believe they don't need to hear the words of Baha'u'llah and pray abou them, because they already have ALL the Truth!
'The Truth, the Truth! We have the Truth! There can be no more Truth!
Joseph Smith said:
"One of the grand fundamentals of 'Mormonism' is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may." (History of the Church 5:499)
The Lord said to the Latter-day Saints: " diligently and ye shall find me."(D&C 88:63)) Don't the Saints already know the Lord? Were they not already Saints? Why did He tell them to seek Him diligently?. Like the Jews in Jesus' day who came to hear Jesus for themselves, you must become active Seekers of Truth. If not, you will not find Him.
Q. If I attend a Baha'i Fireside can I ask questions regarding Joseph Smith?
A. You can ask anything you want. However, while most Baha'is have heard of Joseph Smith, and many know that Shoghi Effendi called him a "Seer", most know very little else about this subject. The questions you have hopefully will be answered in this website. If not, we hope that your own further studies and prayers will answer your remaining questions.
Q. If the Church can save and exalt us what need of we of Baha'u'llah or the Baha'i Faith?
A. The Church cannot save nor exalt you. The Brethren cannot save nor exalt you. Only the Lord can! Only Jesus can save you, and only the Holy Spirit of Promise can exalt you. One is not sealed unto Eternal Life by a High Priest, but by the Holy Spirit of Promise. Only He can seal you unto Eternal Life. And Baha'u'llah is the Holy Spirit of Promise.
Q. What do Baha'is think of The Book of Mormon?
A. Baha'is who have read it think quite abit of it! However, for Baha'is, the Scriptures they revere as the infallible Word of God is the Bible, the Qur'an, and the Holy Writings of the Faith. Other works may be viewed as inspired but not as Holy Text for Baha'is. The Book of Mormon is a divine parable intended for the Latter-day Saints. It also for the convincing of Unbelievers (Jew and Gentile )that Jesus is the Christ; in other words, to convince people who don't believe in Jesus or God that They are true. Baha'is are already convinced He is. The Book of Mormon is also a book that attempts to prepare the reader for the coming of Christ in His glory. Baha'is have already accepted Christ's return in His glory. Thus, The Book of Mormon is for convincing Unbelievers that Jesus is the Christ, and for preparing Latter-day Saints for the coming of Christ in His glory. Baha'is, of all the peoples of the world, need no convincing, and they need no preparation.
Q. What is the purpose of Baha'u'llah and the Baha'i Faith?
A. The Seer Joseph Smith said:
"The designs of God, on the other hand, have been to promote the universal good of the universal world; to establish peace and good will among men; to promote the principles of eternal truth; to bring about a state of things that shall unite man to his fellow man; to cause the world to 'beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into prunning hooks,' make the nations of the earth dwell in peace, and to bring about the millennial glory, when the earth shall yield its increase, resume is paradisean glory, and become as the garden of the Lord." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p.248)
President Heber J. Grant, the 7th President of the LDS Church, wrote:
"The mission of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of peace. It aims to prepare the peoples of the world for the second coming of Christ, and for the inauguration of that blessed day when the millennium shall come and Christ shall reign as King of kings, standing at the head of the universal brotherhood of man." (The Improvement Era 23:473)
'Abdu'l-Baha, the son of Baha'u'llah, and Interpreter of the Faith, declared:
"To be a Baha'i simply means to love all the world; to love all humanity and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood." ('Abdu'l-Baha in London, p.122)
"By this means the nations and peoples now divergent in religion will be brought into unity, imitations will be forsaken and a universal brotherhood in the reality itself will be established." (The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p.142)
"For every era hath a Spirit; the Spirit of this illumined era lieth in the teachings of Baha'u'llah. For these lay the foundation of the oneness of the world of humanity and promulgate universal brotherhood." (Selections from the Writings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, p.109)
The Baha'is talk a lot about the "12 Principles" and interpret these 12 Principles of World Unity as the "gates" of the New Jerusalem. Baha'is believe that the New Jerusalem is not a literal city with streets, stop-lights, sewers, and such, but interpret it as the Millennial Kingdom of Heaven on earth.
The belief that the New Jerusalem would be established on the American Continent, beginning at the Center Place (Independence, Missouri), is interpreted by some Baha'is to mean that the Latter Day Saints (the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), headquartered in Independence, Missouri, will be the first to recognize Baha'u'llah and enter the Faith en masse. Of course, this is not official Baha'i doctrine, but the sincere interpretations of some Baha'is; especially those who had been members of the RLDS Church.
Q. So are you saying that Mormons should leave the Church, break their temple covenants, and join the Baha'i Faith?
A. Not to break, but to ! The goal of every Mormon is to enter "The Celestial Kingdom of God". Mormons believe that the Celestial Kingdom is the Kingdom of Heaven, and this exists on 'the other side of the veil' (i.e. in the spiritual world). The veil also represents white clouds; meaning that Christ shall return in the clouds of heaven.
In Mormon Temples, participants make covenants with the Lord at an altar, and then stand in front of a white veil. Behind the veil is a high priest; who plays the part, if you will, of 'the Lord behind the veil'. The hand of a high priests comes out from behind the veil, through an opening in the veil, and receives the 'signs and tokens' from the participant. Behind the white veil is the Celestial Room; which represents, symbolically, the Celestial Kingdom of God.
Mormons are taught certain 'signs and tokens', and that if they give these 'signs and tokens' to the 'Lord behind the veil', then the high priest (representing the Lord behind the veil) will part the veil, and allow the participant to enter the rest, or Presence of the Lord (i.e. the Celestial Room which represents the Celestial Kingdom). Most Mormons believe that after death they will literally stand before another literal white veil and have to give literal 'signs and tokens' (which comprise various jestures with the hands and arms which are so sacred they cannot be discussed or shown outside of Mormon Temples) to be allowed into a literal Celestial Kingdom, and be exalted. That is the ultimate goal and purpose of every sincere and believing Mormon.
The very definition of 'signs and tokens' are that they are symbols or representations of something else other than themselves. For example, in the Jewish Temple, the shedding of the blood of goats and lambs were symbolic or representative of the shedding of the Blood of the Lamb of God (Jesus' Atonement for sin). God instituted the shedding of animal blood for the atonement of sin as a symbol (token) of the real atonement for sin that would take place by the Lamb of God (Jesus). For Baha'is, the white veil doesn't represent the 'veil' between this life and the next life, but rather the white veil that was placed at the entrance to the Presence of Baha'u'llah; Who is the literal 'Lord behind the veil'.
The authorized Priesthood of God in the time of Jesus rejected their Lord when He came because they saw their Temple rituals as the source of their salvation, and not what they really were: signs and tokens (symbolic clues) of the Promised One (Jesus).
Will the latter-day Priesthood of God make the same mistake?
Will you?
Baha'u'llah wrote:
"O High Priests! Ears have been given you that they may hearken unto the Mystery of Him Who is Self-Dependent, and eyes that they may behold Him. Wherefore flee ye? The Incomparable Friend is manfest. He speaketh that wherein lieth salvation.***Whatsoever hath been announced in the Books hath been revealed and made clear. From every direction the signs have been manifested.***O High Priests! The Hand of Omnipotence is stetched forth from behind the clouds; behold ye with new eyes. The tokens of His majesty and greatness are unveiled!***Ye are the high priests of the Temple.***Say, O high priests! No man's acts shall be acceptable, in this Day, unless he forsaketh mankind and all that men possess, and setteth his face towards the Omnipotent One. ***He indeed is a high priest who hath seen the light and hastened unto the way leading to the Beloved." (Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, pp.108-109)
Please, come hear Him!
Contact Information
You are cordially invited to a Baha'i Fireside near your home. To find out where the nearest and next one is just look in the Yellow Pages under Churches or Religious Organizations or in the Business White Pages under "Baha'i Faith". Or, if you do not wish to attend a Fireside at this time, you can send for a free Baha'i information packet to be mailed to you by dialing 1-800-22-UNITE (1-800-228-6483--U.S. only). Call anytime. Go in peace!
Latter Day Saint
(Mormon)
Prophecies
Fulfilled by the Baha'i Faith
by Joel Smith
"Search these
commandments, for they are true and faithful,
and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled."
-Joseph Smith, Doctrine and
Covenants, Section 1:37 --dated November 1, 1831
The Mormon Church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has its origins in the visions of Joseph Smith... "a religious teacher sensitive to the spiritual currents flowing in the early 19th century." Beginning in 1820, Joseph Smith claimed to have experienced a series of heavenly visions in which he was informed that all existing churches were in error, that the true Gospel had been lost and that he was being given the task of preparing people to recognize the immanent coming of the "Son of Man"... the return of Christ.
Joseph Smith's visions and prophecies are recorded in a book titled "The Doctrine and Covenants." This book contains prophecies which explicitly foretell the coming of two Messianic figures who were to appear in rapid succession--- one right after the other. The first of these two Messianic figures is called the "one mighty and strong" and is considered to be a forerunner like John the Baptist. The second of the two Messianic figures is called the "Son of Man".
For the sake of brevity in this presentation I would like to focus on only two of Joseph Smith's prophecies from "The Doctrine and Covenants". The first is found in Section 85, the second is from Section 130.
"And it shall come to pass that I, the Lord God, will send one mighty and strong, holding the scepter of power in his hand, clothed with light for a covering, whose mouth shall utter words, eternal words; while his bowels shall be a fountain of truth, to set in order the house of God...
While that man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God, shall fall by the shaft of death, like as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning."-D&C, section 85:7-8
The second prophecy is from Section 130 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Here Joseph Smith prophesied:
"When the Savior shall appear we shall see him as he is. We shall see that he is a man like ourselves... And a white stone is given to each of those who come into the celestial kingdom, thereon is a new name written, which no man knoweth save he that receiveth it. The new name is the key word. I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God, that the commencement of the difficulties which will cause much bloodshed previous to the coming of the Son of Man will be in South Carolina. It may probably arise through the slave question. This a voice declared to me, while I was praying earnestly on the subject, December 25th, 1832. I was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man when I heard a voice repeat the following: Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man; therefore let this suffice, and trouble me no more on this matter... The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit..."-D&C 130
Let's take a look at these prophecies point by point:
SUMMARY OF PROMISES:
Section 85 contains two significant prophecies:
1- THE DEATH OF JOSEPH SMITH
The "man, who was called of God and appointed, that putteth forth his hand to steady the ark of God" was Joseph Smith. As prophesied in this passage, Joseph Smith actually did "fall by the shaft of death" "as a tree that is smitten by the vivid shaft of lightning..."
Joseph Smith was shot and killed on June 27, 1844.
2- FORERUNNER TO APPEAR IN 1844
The second half of this prophecy infers that when Joseph Smith is shot, the "one mighty and strong" will appear. Once again, Joseph Smith was shot in 1844. The prophecies of Joseph Smith foretell the coming of an Elijah figure.... a forerunner like John the Baptist. In other words, this prophecy predicts that a forerunner will appear in the year 1844.
Section 130 contains several significant prophecies:
1- THE CIVIL WAR
"I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God, that the commencement of the difficulties which will cause much bloodshed previous to the coming of the Son of Man will be in South Carolina. It may probably arise through the slave question."
On December 25th, 1832, Joseph Smith first prophesied that the American civil war, which was fought over the "slave question", will begin in "South Carolina."
The civil war began in South Carolina in the year 1860. The "slave question" was crystallized in 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln signed the 'Emancipation Proclamation' freeing the slaves. Notice that Joseph Smith foretold these events over thirty years before they happened. And this is not even the most important part of this prophecy. Joseph Smith was just setting the stage for what could be one of the most significant events in human history.
Joseph Smith predicted that the "coming of the Son of Man" would become a reality shortly after the beginning of the civil war.
1A-THE SAVIOR WILL BE "A MAN LIKE OURSELVES"
"When the Savior shall appear we shall see him as he is. We shall see that he is a man like ourselves..."
The Savior... the Son of Man will have "a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's". This prophecy is self evident. The Son of Man will appear in exactly the same way that all of the other Prophets or "Manifestations of God" have appeared throughout history. He will not appear as some unidentifiable, intangible spirit.
1B- RED ROBE PROPHECY
Only three sections later Joseph Smith also prophesies: "And the Lord, even the Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people, and shall reign over all flesh... And it shall be said: Who is this that cometh down from God in heaven with dyed garments... And the Lord will be red in his apparel, and his garments like him that treadeth in the wine-vat. And so great shall be the glory of his presence that the sun shall hide his face in shame..." -D&C 133
"We shall see that he is a man like ourselves"... the "Son of Man" will have "a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's..." The Son of Man will appear in exactly the same way that all of the other Prophets or "Manifestations of God" have appeared throughout history. He will not appear as some unidentifiable, intangible spirit... "the Savior, shall stand in the midst of his people". These passages even identify the color of his clothes when he appears: "the Lord will be red in his apparel". They even give us a clue as to what his "new name" might be: "so great shall be the glory of his presence..."
1B- THE COMING OF THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM... THE NEW NAME PROPHECY
Those who choose to come "into the celestial kingdom" will be given a "white stone" "thereon is a new name written". Evidently, not everyone will choose to come into the "celestial kingdom." Either that, or perhaps what this passage is saying is that not everyone will recognize the coming of the Son of Man with a "new name" and thereby, because of their lack of understanding, will deprive themselves of the opportunity to enter the Son of Man's "celestial kingdom". Those who do enter the "celestial kingdom"... shall be given a "new name."
Joseph Smith's "new name" prophecy is reminiscent of similar statements made in Isaiah and in the Book of Revelation. In the second chapter of the Book of Revelation, Jesus repeats the "white stone with a new name prophecy." Jesus promised:
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."-Revelation 2:17
And in the next chapter Jesus again promises:
"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name." -Revelation 3:12
Towards the end of his book Isaiah repeats this promise:
"thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name."-Isaiah 62
And then Isaiah warned:
"ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord God shall slay thee and call his servants by another name."-Isaiah 65
Those who choose to come into the "celestial kingdom" shall be given a "new name."
2- Joseph Smith wrote that he: "was once praying very earnestly to know the time of the coming of the Son of Man when I heard a voice repeat the following:
" Joseph, my son, if thou livest until thou art eighty-five years old, thou shalt see the face of the Son of Man..."
Joseph Smith was born in Sharon, Vermont, on December 23, 1805. He would have been 85 years old in 1890. If he had not been killed, Joseph Smith would have met the Son of Man in the year 1890. Could it be that the "Son of Man" was actually already alive on the planet at the very time that Joseph Smith was giving these prophecies? Consider these statements from Joseph Smith:
"behold, verily, verily, I say unto you that mine eyes are upon you. I am in your midst and ye cannot see me; But the day soon cometh that ye shall see me, and know that I am; for the veil of darkness shall soon be rent... Wherefore, gird up your loins and be prepared..." -D&C 38
"I am in your midst... And the day cometh that you shall hear my voice and see me, and know that I am. Watch, therefore, that ye may be ready." -D&C 50:44
"For verily I say unto you that I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the light and the life of the world--a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not. I came unto mine own, and mine own received me not... And when the times of the Gentiles is come in, as light shall break forth among them that sit in darkness, and it shall be the fullness of my gospel; But they receive it not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men." -D&C 45
According to Joseph Smith's prophecies, the forerunner... "the one mighty and strong" should have appeared in 1844. The "Son of Man"... "the Savior" should have appeared shortly after the beginning of the civil war (1860). Joseph Smith advises his followers to be awake and searching. He warns that the coming of the "Son of Man" would be like "a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not". He hints that the Savior is: "in your midst and ye cannot see me"... "they receive [Him] not; for they perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from me because of the precepts of men." And then, even more explicitly, Joseph Smith is promised that if lives until the year 1890 he will meet the "Son of Man".
FULFILLMENT:
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1- Joseph Smith's "one mighty and strong" prophecy was amazingly accurate. The Elijah figure DID arise in the east in the same year that Joseph Smith was shot. In 1844 the "ONE MIGHTY AND STRONG" arose in the east. He assumed the title of the Bab... a name which when translated into English means the "GATE". The Bab stated that he was the forerunner of the great "Son of Man"... whom, he said, was soon to appear. |
The Bab wrote:
"I am one of the sustaining Pillars of the Primal Word of God. Whosoever hath recognized Me... hath attained all that is good and seemly..."
"Well is it with him who fixeth his gaze upon the Order of Baha'u'llah (the Son of Man), and rendereth thanks unto his Lord. For he will assuredly be made manifest. God hath indeed irrevocably ordained it..."- the Bab- Tablet to the Shah, GPB p.25
Joseph Smith foretold the coming of the Bab... the Forerunner of the Baha'i
Faith with amazing accuracy. He also foretold the time of the coming of
Baha'u'llah, the Baha'i Founder, with equal precision.
Joseph Smith promised: "I prophesy, in the name of the Lord God, that the commencement of the difficulties which will cause much bloodshed previous to the coming of the Son of Man will be in South Carolina. It may probably arise through the slave question."
The American Civil War began in South Carolina in 1860 but it was not until 1863 that Abraham Lincoln signed the 'Emancipation Proclamation' freeing the slaves and crystallizing the "slave question". It was also in 1863 that The "Son of Man" actually did appear.
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It was on April 21, 1863 that Baha'u'llah, the Prophet founder of the Baha'i Faith, first publicly announced to the world that he was the Promised One whose coming had been foretold in the prophecies of the world's great religions. Thus Baha'u'llah announced His mission to the world at the exact time foretold by Joseph Smith. |
Baha'u'llah wrote:
"The time fore-ordained unto the people and kindreds of the earth is now come. The promises of God as recorded in the holy Scriptures, have all been fulfilled..."
"The Revelation which, from time immemorial hath been acclaimed as the Purpose and Promise of all the prophets of God, and the most cherished Desire of His Messengers, hath now, by virtue of the pervasive Will of the Almighty and at His irresistible bidding, been revealed unto men. The advent of such a Revelation hath been heralded in all the sacred Scriptures. Behold how, notwithstanding such an announcement, mankind hath strayed from its path and shut out itself from its glory..." -Baha'u'llah, Baha'i World Faith, p.9
Baha'u'llah's forerunner appeared at the exact time foretold by Joseph Smith. Baha'u'llah himself also appeared at the exact time foretold by Joseph Smith. Baha'u'llah did come bearing a "new name". The name Baha'u'llah when translated into English is the Glory of God. Baha'u'llah did appear wearing a red robe. Baha'u'llah did bring the "celestial kingdom" as foretold by Joseph Smith. Yet, most of the world remained heedless of his appearance.
Joseph Smith warned that recognition of the coming of the Son of Man might not be as easy as many people thought. He said that the Savior is: "in your midst and ye cannot see [him]". Baha'u'llah, the Promised One... the Savior, the Son of Man appeared at the exact time foretold by Joseph Smith. Joseph Smith advised his followers to be awake and searching. He said that the coming of the "Son of Man" would be like "a light that shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not". Baha'u'llah commented upon the people's tragic lack of comprehension. He wrote: "notwithstanding such an announcement, mankind hath strayed from its path and shut out itself from its glory..." Tragically, today, more than 130 years later, Joseph Smith's followers still "perceive not the light, and they turn their hearts from [Him] because of the precepts of men."
The other half of the prophecy from Section 130 of the Doctrine and Covenants
promised that Joseph Smith would "see the face of the Son of Man" if
he lived to be 85 years old. In a remarkable passage, Baha'u'llah seems to
answer this promise. He wrote:
"Verily I say, this is the day in which mankind can behold the Face and hear the Voice of the Promised One. The call of God hath been raised, and the light of His countenance hath been lifted up upon men. It behooveth every man to blot out the trace of every idle word from the tablet of his heart, and to gaze, with an open and unbiased mind, on the signs of His Revelation, the proofs of His Mission, and the tokens of His Glory." --- Baha'u'llah
Joseph Smith was promised that he would "see the face of
the Son of Man" if he lived to be 85 years old. Joseph Smith would have
been 85 years old in the year 1890. It was in the year 1890 that the first
people from from Europe and America journeyed all the way to Israel to meet
Baha'u'llah. Of these western pilgrims only the distinguished orientalist
Professor Edward G. Browne of the University of Cambridge, England actually met
him. Dr Browne "visited Baha'u'llah at Bahji in the year 1890, and recorded
his impressions as follows: --
"The face of him on whom I gazed I can never forget, though I cannot describe it. Those piercing eyes seemed to read one's very soul; power and authority sat on that ample brow; while the deep lines on the forehead and face implied an age which the jet-black hair and beard flowing down in indistinguishable luxuriance almost to the waist seemed to belie.
No need to ask in whose presence I stood, as I bowed myself before one who is the object of a devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain!
A mild dignified voice bade me be seated, and then continued: -- "Praise be to God that thou has attained!... Thou has come to see a prisoner and an exile. ... We desire but the good of the world and happiness of the nations; yet they deem us a stirrer up of strife and sedition worthy of bondage and banishment. ... That all nations should become one in faith and all men as brothers; that the bonds of affection should cease, and differences of race be annulled -- what harm is there in this? ... Yet so it shall be; these fruitless strifes, these ruinous wars shall pass away, and the `Most Great Peace' shall come. ... Do not you in Europe need this also? Is not this that which Christ foretold? ... Yet do we see your kings and rulers lavishing their treasures more freely on means for the destruction of the human race than on that which would conduce to the happiness of mankind. ... These strifes and this bloodshed and discord must cease, and all men be as one kindred and one family. ... Let not a man glory in this, that he loves his country; let him rather glory in this, that he loves his kind. ..."-Baha'u'llah and the New Era, J. Esselmont, p.39-40
If Joseph Smith had lived to be 85 years old, would he have been on that steamship that travelled to Israel in 1890? Would he have been alongside Professor Browne as he met Baha'u'llah? Would Joseph Smith have seen "the face of the Son of Man" when he was 85 years old? Unfortunately, we will never know for certain.
The question that has been raised in this brief presentation
is... "are the Bab and Baha'u'llah truly the ones whose coming were
foretold in the Mormon prophecies?" As illustrated many places elsewhere in
this homepage, the Bab and Baha'u'llah literally do fulfill dozens of prophecies
from the scriptures of each of the world's great religions. Baha'u'llah's
teachings have already inspired the birth and development of a unified global
community of believers.
What do you suppose are the chances that so many explicit prophecies from the
diverse religions of the world could foretell the exact same things, in almost
the exact same words as the Mormon prophecies and yet still be just a
coincidence? How probable do you think it is that the Bab and Baha'u'llah could
literally fulfill each and every one of these prophecies... and yet still be
false? It is not very likely.
The prophecies of Joseph Smith foretold the coming of both the "Son of Man" and of His "celestial kingdom." Is Baha'u'llah truly the "Son of Man" whose appearance was foretold by Joseph Smith? Is the name Baha'u'llah... the "new name" foretold by Joseph Smith? Is Baha'u'llah's kingdom truly the "celestial kingdom" foretold by Joseph Smith? These are questions of extreme importance.
Those who seek the truth in this matter may want to consider the following statements from Baha'u'llah:
"We, of a certainty, have had no purpose in this earthly realm save to make God manifest and to reveal His sovereignty; sufficient unto Me is God for a witness. We, of a certainty, have had no intent in the celestial Kingdom but to exalt His Cause and glorify His praise; sufficient unto Me is God for a protector. We, of a certainty, have had no desire in the Dominion on high except to extol God and what hath been sent down by Him..."
-Baha'u'llah: The Kitab-i-Aqdas, page 82
Great is the Cause, and great the Announcement! Patiently and calmly ponder thou upon the resplendent signs and the sublime words, and all that hath been revealed in these days, that haply thou mayest fathom the mysteries that are hid in the Books, and mayest strive to guide His servants. Hearken with thine inner ear unto the Voice of Jeremiah, Who saith: "Oh, for great is that Day, and it hath no equal." Wert thou to observe with the eye of fairness, thou wouldst perceive the greatness of the Day. Incline thine ear unto the Voice of this All-Knowing Counsellor, and suffer not thyself to be deprived of the mercy that hath surpassed all created things, visible and invisible..."
NOTE: For Latter Day Saints who would like to hear more of this story you may want to read the book "So Great A Cause!" by Kenneth Stephens, a former Mormon and Institute Director. This book is currently out of print but your local librarian should be able to find you a copy through interlibrary loan.
Joel Smith is a member of the Baha'i Faith living in Carbondale, Southern Illinois in the United States. The opinions expressed in this article constitute his own personal understanding and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Baha'i Faith or its teachings.
The Greatest Prophecy of Joseph Smith!
Questions for the Reader:
"There are those of the rising generation who shall not taste
death til Christ comes."
(Joseph Smith-- Gen. Conf., 6 April, 1843, quoted in *The Words of Joseph Smith*
p.179)
Dear Latter-day Saints,
In 1891, in General Conference, Mormon Apostle Charles W. Penrose said:
"Did not all the Prophets of old look forward to such a time, and did not our Savior send His disciples to proclaim that the Kingdom was at hand? He gave a great many parables concerning this Kingdom. He compared it, among other things, to a grain of mustard seed that grew and became the greatest tree of earth. That is, commencing with a small beginning, but, like all God's works, gradually growing and developing until fully complete. The prophet Daniel saw it as the 'little stone', but ou of the mountain without hands, which smote the great image and shattered its remnants to the four winds, and then became a great mountain and filled the whole earth. The idea conveyed in both these prohecies is the same; the Kingdom is not to come instantaneously in its fulness, but is to grow from a small beginning and is to be upon the earth, which is our birthplace according to the flesh and our future home and heaven. The earth fulfills the law of its creation and shall therefore be glorified and become a fit dwelling place for the sanctified, fitter for the Presence of God and clothed with his glory. The Church and the Kingdom are not identical, although they are closely connected. In the Church is the Gospel of the Kingdom. It is a preparation for that divine government. It will not be fully established until Christ comes, who is the King. As members of the Church we are commanded to be subject to the powers that be, to the established governments under which we live, as long as they exist, for 'the powers that be are ordained of God,' but we are approaching a time when all things on earth must give way for the Heavenly Kingdom. The kingdom this world are to become the Kingdom of God and His Christ. Let us prepare outselves for the events that are coming, and when we pary: 'Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven,' do our part in the work to prepare for its advent. (Collected Discourses 2:188-9)What did they say? They said:
Joseph the Seer's 1890-91 Prophecies
The LORD promised Joseph Smith that if he lived until he was 85 years of age (1890-91) he would see the Face of the Son of Man (D&C sec. 130). He also prophecied several times that Christ would appear again in the years 1890-91:
"I was once praying earnestly upon the subject, and a voice said unto me, My son, if thou livest till thou art 85 years of age, thou shalt see the Face of the Son of Man--I was left to draw my own conclusion concerning this & took the liberty to conclude that if I did live till that time He would make His appearance or I shall go where He is--I prophesy in the name of the Lord God--& let it be written, that the Son of Man will not come in the heavens till I am 85 years old, 48 years hence or about 1890." (Diary of Joseph Smith, April 6, 1843, reprinted in The Revelations of Joseph Smith p.345n.3)
In 1835, Joseph Smith prophecied that Christ would return in the year 1891. The following is from volume 2 of the History of the Church:
"[Feb. 14, 1835] President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God commanded it; and it was made known to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit***and it was the will of God that those who went to Zion, with a determination to lay down their lives, if necessary, should be ordained to the ministry, and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, or the coming of the Lord, which was nigh--even fifty-six years should wind-up the scene." (D.H.C. 2:182)
In the Index (vol. 7) to the seven volume History of the Church, under the subject "Second Coming", we find the following:
"Joseph indecates would be in fifty-six years V2:182"
1835 + 56 = 1891
These early Brethren (Mormon leaders who actually made prophecies, had visions, and received "Thus saith the Lord" revelations) expected Christ to return with His Heavenly Kingdom (the Millennial Kingdom) in the year 1891; based upon this 1835 prophecy of Joseph Smith. In the year 1890, in General Conference, Elder B.H. Roberts (who edited the seven volume History of the Church) said:
"Before another General Conference shall be reached we shall have entered upon the year 1891. (Scribes' Note: Elder Roberts reads from Sec. 130 of the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, which relates to the coming of the Son of Man, and referred to some remarks made by the prophet, February 14th, 1835, at a meeting were certain Elders were told that they were called to go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, before the coming of Christ, even 56 years should wind-up the scene. Continuing, Elder Roberts said) that these circumstances have called the Saints to believe that some great epoch will open at that time--the year following the present. My faith in the matter is whatever the Lord has in mind to accomplish in that year will be performed. It may be something, however, that would scarcely create a ripple. The organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was one of the greatest events in the history of the world. It was organized with six members, and but little was known concerning it even in the neighborhood where it occurred, at the time. It may be that the greatness of what shall occur in 1891 will not be comprehended until succeeding years." (Collected Discources 2:105-6)
The Latter-day Saints in 1890--some of whom had known Joseph Smith in the 1830s and 40s--had remembered very well his 1890-91 prophecies, and expected Christ to return in the glory of His Father sometime in those years. Some of them were even preparing hand-carts to travel back to Jackson Country, Missouri, to build the City of New Jerusalem; others expected Christ to appear in the clouds of the sky over Salt Lake City. Still others expected Christ to appear in the Salt Lake Temple; which was not yet completed (not until 1893). Elders Penrose and Roberts told them that when Christ returns in His glory it will be like a mustard seed; a very small event--unknown to even those close near it. They told the Saints that Christ wouldn't return as they expected Him to; flying around in the sky with thousands of angels in tow--spitting out fireballs upon the wicked! Christ would return, but He would come as a thief in the night. Thieves who come in the night don't kick down the door and announce their coming. They very quietly, and unnoticed, sneak into the home while it's inhabitants are slumbering; making sure not to wake anyone up, and then leaving quietly.
What happened in the years 1890-91? Did Christ return as Joseph Smith prophecied?
If Joseph Smith's prophecies here are false then he MUST be dismissed as a false prophet, and the Church false as well! The LORD told Moses that if a prophet appears and prophesies a thing, and that thing come not to pass, then the LORD didn't send that man, and he is a false prophet! Moses said, "When a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumteously, you need not be afraid of him."(Deuteronomy 18:22)! Many Latter-day Saints have attempted to "explain-away" Joseph's direct prophecies in the name of the LORD by saying, "Well, it would have happened in 1890-91 if the Saints were prepared for it!" Of course, using this logic ALL false prophecies could similarly to "explained-away" as "true" but just "unfulfilled". In fact, a divine prophecy is something that will occur, and not something that may occur "if" the conditions are right! Mormons feel they must "explain-away" Joseph's 1890-91 prophecies. To do otherwise is to admit he was a "false prophet". Of course, there is a third option!
Many Baha'is, including Shoghi Effendi (the late Guardian of the Baha'i Faith) believed that Joseph Smith was a "Seer" (an ordinary man who has visions, makes prophecies, and receives inspiration from God) and "had high standards". Surely, if any of his prophecies proved to be false, it would mean Joseph Smith was not inspired of God! Of course, it is my belief that he was, and that his 1890-91 prophecies were fulfilled to the letter!
Did Christ return in the years 1890-91?
In the year 1891, Baha'u'llah (Bah-HAH-oo-LAH), the Founder of the Baha'i Faith, wrote:
"Followers of the Gospel, behold the gates of heaven are flung open. He that had ascended unto it is now come." (World Order of Baha'u'llah, p.104)
"The Voice of the Son of Man is calling aloud from the sacred veil: 'Here am I, here am I, O God, My God! The Father hath come. That which ye were promised in the Kingdom of God is fulfilled." (The New Gospel, p.81)
"Verily I say, this is the Day in which mankind can behold the Face, and hear the Voice, of the Promised One." (Gleanings 10:vii)
"He Who is the King of kings hath appeared, arrayed in His most wonderous glory, and is summoning you unto Himself, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." (Gleanings 211:cv)
Baha'u'llah was born Prince Husayn Ali of Noor in Persia (now Iran) in 1817. He became a disciple of Siyyid Muhammad Ali (called "Al-Bab" in Arabic--meaning "The Gate" of God's Revelation); who gave Prince Husayn the title "Baha'u'llah"; which means "The Glory of God the Father" in Arabic. The Bab (pronounced "Bahb") was violently opposed by the Orthodox Muslim clergymen of His day; because He claimed that He was receiving latter-day revelation, and the clergymen believed that divine revelation ceased with Muhammad. Also, The Bab taught things that were contrary to Orthodox Islam; like Jesus being the Son ofGod, and other things. The Bab also taught that women should be equal to men, and not be required to wear a veil in front of their faces. This, among many other things, enraged the Orthodox clergy; who sought to catch Him in a snare and destory Him. In 1852 The Bab was executed in Tabriz (northwestern Iran) by a fireing squad. Tens of thousands of His followers suffered martyrdom and persecution. Baha'u'llah, because He was of royal blood, was sent to the Black Pit of Teheran; the most notorious dungeon of that country. While there, He was visited by the Maid of Heaven; who told Him that He was the Promised One; the Logos or Word of God returned in a new tabernacle (body).
Being of royal birth, Baha'u'llah was not executed, but exiled; first to Baghdad, and finally to Akka; the prison-city of the Turks in Palestine (now Israel). For most of His time there Baha'u'llah was a prisoner of the Turks. However, He was eventually released. For decades He kept His true identity a secret from the outside world. Even among His own followers, only a chosen few could enter His Presence. He lived in His apartment, in a large house near Akka called Bahji. Over the entrance of His apartment was drawn a large white veil, and only a select view could enter through the veil and behold His Face.
But then, in the year 1890, He made His proclaimation to all the world, and unveiled His Face. Hearing of Him and His followers, a Cambridge professor by the name of Edward G. Browne travelled to Persia, and then to Akka, and finally to Bahji, to meet Him and ask Him questions. Prof. Browne arrived in Bahji in April of 1890. Prof. Browne met Baha'u'llah, and published his meeting in English in a scholarly journal in 1891. He wrote:
"...my conductor paused for a moment while I removed my shoes. Then with a quick movement of the hand, he withdrew and, as I passed, replaced the curtain (veil); and I found myself in a large apartment,... The Face of Him of Whom I gazed I can never forget, though I cannot describe it. Those piercing eyes seemed to read one's very soul; power and authority sat on that ample brow; while the deep lines on the forehead and Face implied an age which the jet-black hair and beard flowing down in indistinguishable luxuriance almost to the waist seemed to belie. No need to ask in Whose Presence I stood, as I bowed myself before One Who is the object and devotion and love which kings might envy and emperors sigh for in vain!" (E.G.Brown, quoted in Baha'ullah--The Word Made Flesh, p.62)A Protestant missionary in Palestine at that time, the Rev. Henry Careless, heard of Baha'u'llah's claim in the year 1890, and wrote of it:
"The Baha'is are very numerous [here in Akka]...They contend that Christ has already come again a second time in this present man, Baha'u'llah, living in Akka--the same Spirit of God incarnate in all the prophets before Christ, then in Christ, then in Muhammad, now is incarnate in Baha'u'llah." (Momen, Studies in Babi and Baha'i History 1:68-9)Call Out To Zion!
About 15 miles south of Akka is the city of Haifa, Israel. This city was founded in the late 18th century by a German sect of Christians called the "Templars". One of their founders claimed to be a seer, and claimed that God had told him that Christ was going to return to the earth in the Cave of Elijah; on the North Slope of Mount Carmel. Decades later, the Templars left Germany and established a colony on the narrow strip of land between the northern slope of Mount Carmel and the sea; later to be named "Haifa". Near the Cave of Elijah they built an abbey, and over the door of the abbey they wrote words in stone: "Der Herr ist Nahe" ("The Lord is Near").
In 1891, Baha'u'llah went from Bahji (on the outskirts of Akka) and went down to Mount Carmel (about 15 miles). In the Cave of Elijah, He wrote the Tablet of Carmel, which says in part:
"All glory be to this Day, the Day which the fragrances of mercy have been wafted over all created things, a Day so blessed that past ages and centuries can never hope to rival it, a Day in which the Countenance of the Ancient of Days hath turned towards His holy seat. Thereupon the voice of all created things, and beyond them those of the Concourse on high, were heard calling aloud: 'Haste Thee, O Carmel, for lo, the light of the Countenance of God, the Ruler of the Kingdom of Names and Fashioner of the heavens, hath been lifted upon thee.'***Call out to Zion, O Carmel, and announce the joyful tidings: He that was hidden from mortal eyes is come!" (Baha'u'llah--The Word Made Flesh, p.64)The Faith is not a Church
The Baha'i Faith is not a "church", but rather the Millennial Kingdom of God; expected by all Mormon Prophets and Apostles to come and be a different and separate organization from the Church! There are no gospel ordinances in Faith. It doesn't claim to "save" men's souls, but to establish His Laws and Reign internationally.
Read that again! The Church is the Kingdom of God on earth. It was to be a preparation for the Kingdom of Heaven."Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of God. These terms are used in various combinations and with various meanings. Generally speaking, the kingdom of God on earth is the Church. It is a preparation for the greater kingdom--the celestial or kingdom of heaven." (LDS Bible Dict. p.721)
Notice that the Church is referred to "the Kingdom of God on earth". The name for "earth" in Latin is "terra". The name for "earthly" in Latin is "terrestial". The Church is the "Terrestrial Kingdom of God".
Baha'u'llah wrote:
"Blessed is the soul that hath been raised to life through My quickening breath and hath gained admittance into My Heavenly Kingdom." (Lawh-i-Aqdas 24:10)'Abdu'l-Baha (the Eldest Son of Baha'u'llah and Interpreter of His Writings) wrote:"Hasten forth and circumambulate the City of God that hath descended from heaven, the Celestial Kaaba [Cube] round which have circled the favoured of God, the pure in heart, and the company of the most exalted angels." (Proclamation of Baha'u'llah, p.89)
"We of a certainty, have had no intent in the Celestial Kingdom but to exalt His Cause and glorify His praise; sufficient unto Me is God for a Protector." (Kitab-i-Aqdas p.82)
"Thank thou God that thou hast stepped into the arena of existence in this glorious age,...hast found the season of divine springtime, hast perfumed thy nostrils with heavenly flowers, hast discovered the way to the Celestial Kingdom and has partaken a share from Eternal Life." (Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Baha pp.623-4)The Veiled One
People who wished to behold the face of Baha'u'llah had to first pass through a white veil that was hung over the entrance way of His apartment in the mansion He lived in in Bahji; just outside of Akka. The Baha'i poet Hafiz wrote (this rhymes in Persian):
"Behind a veil sits that moon-browed beauty;In the Muslim year 1308 A.H. (1890-91 A.D.), Baha'u'llah came forth from behind the veil; unveiling His Face for all the world to see. This is when Prof. Edward G. Browne, of Cambridge University, came to see him. This is also when He pitched His tent on Mount Carmel, and when He wrote the *Tablet of Carmel*, wherein His says, "Call out to Zion!"
He has rent asunder the veils of the world,
yet sits behind a veil--
And none approach Him save His brothers,
and certain favoured followers.
But from behind that veil
He issues forth letters,
epistles, and books in reply
to men's questions and petitions."
(A Traveller's Narative, p.355)
The Holy Ghost Incarnate
Most members of the Church still expect the Holy Ghost to "come down and get a body". Many have speculated that this event must take place "at the end of the Millennium". Of course, Joseph Smith didn't think so, but believed that the Holy Ghost was on earth during his lifetime! Mormon Apostle Franklin R. Richards recorded a sermon of Joseph the Seer on the 27th of August, 1843, which reads as follows:
"Joseph Smith also said that the Holy Ghost is now in a state of Probation which, if He should perform in righteousness, He may pass through the same or similar course of things that the Son has." (Words of Joseph Smith, p.245)Every Latter-day Saint knows that a "state of Probation" means the mortal state. It means mortal life of our "earthly existence" (1 Nephi 10:21; 2 Nephi 2:21,30; 33:9; Mormon 9:28). In 1843, when Joseph Smith preached that sermon, Baha'u'llah was living His final year as the Prince of Noor (a province of Persia in Northern Iran--on the coast of the Caspian Sea). One year later He was given a new name by The Bab.
Baha'u'llah--(Arabic: "The Glory of God")
The LORD said to Joseph the Seer:
Baha'u'llah wrote:"Therefore, sanctify youselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will." (D&C sec. 88:68)
"Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is Spirit, even the Spirit of Truth;" (D&C 93:23)
"The Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory which I spake concerning the ten virgins." (D&C sec.45:56)
"Behold and lo, I come quickly as it written of me, in the cloud clothed in the glory of my Father. (Joseph Smith's original first vision account, published in The Diary of Joseph Smith, p.6)
"...the church of the Firstborn are those who have received the fulness of the Father." (D&C sec.76:71)
"These are they whose bodies are celestial, whose glory is that of the sun, even the glory of God, the highest of all, whose glory the sun of the firmament is written of as being typical." (D&C sec. 76:70)
"The Comforter Whose advent all the Scriptures have promised is now come that He may reveal unto you all knowledge and wisdom. Seek Him over the entire surface of the earth, haply ye may find Him,...." (Words of Baha'u'llah pp.104-5)"Verily, He who is the Spirit of Truth is come to guide you unto all truth. He speaketh not as prompted by His own self, but as bidden by Him Who is All-Knowing, the All-Wise." (Lawh-i-Aqdas 11:4-5)
"Say, O followers of the Son! Lo! The Father is come, and that which ye were promised in the kingdom is fulfilled." (Tablets of Baha'u'llah p.12)
"The Voice of the Son of Man is calling aloud from the sacred veil: 'Here am I, here am I, O God, My God! The Father is come!" (Words of Baha'u'llah, p.104)
Baha'i Hand of the Cause (apostle) George Townshend wrote:
"God has ordained that the Christians of the West shall be foremost among all the peoples in recognizing and acknowledging the second coming of Christ in the glory of God the Father and in carrying the glad tidings through the earth. The Lord of Hosts has appeared with all the prophecied tokens!" (Christ and Baha'u'llah, p.11)Baha'i historian and Hand of the Cause H.M. Balyuzi wrote:
"In that year, 1890, Baha'u'llah visited Haifa, and pitched His tens on Mount Carmel. To the Mountain of God came the Lord of Hosts, and the prophecies of old as well as His own emphatic promise were fulfilled." (Baha'u'llah--The Word Made Flesh, p.63)Joseph the Seer wrote:
"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of those that bring glad tidings of good things, and that say unto Zion: Behold, thy God reineth! As the dews of Carmel, so shall the knowledge of God descend upon them!" (D&C sec. 128:19)Baha'u'llah wore a red robe ; which fulfilled D&C 133:46-9 ; see The Baha'i Faith: An Introduction for Mormons below.
The Return of Christ (not Jesus)
But just how could Baha'u'llah be the "return of Christ" without being Jesus Himself? The Book of Mosiah, chapter 15, tells us that "Jesus Christ" was in fact two divine Beings in one:
"And because he dwelleth in flesh he shall be called the Son of God, and having subjected the flesh to the will of the Father, being the Father and the Son--Note:The Father, because he was conceived by the power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh; thus becoming the Father and the Son--
And they are one God, yea, the very Eternal Father of heaven and earth.
And thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or the Son to the Father, being one God,..." (Mosiah 15:2-5)
"Behold I am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son." (Ether 3:14)
Today, most Latter-day Saints believe that "Jesus Christ" is One Being; that "Christ" is His last name, or (for more informed Mormons) His divine title. But, the truth is, "Jesus Christ" is two divine Beings in one God. The Holy Ghost (Christ) came down in the form of a dove an "anointed" Jesus. The Holy Ghost is "Christ" Who became one with Jesus; thus becoming Jesus Christ. This was the belief of the earliest Christians; as well as the belief of the Church of the East today (the Nestorian Christians of Iran, India, China, Iraq, and Syria).
Baha'u'llah is not the Return of Jesus, but the Return of Christ. And "Christ" is also the Father! Brigham Young said that Elohim, Jehovah, and Michael were the "Father, Son, and Holy Ghost" (Journal of Discourses 1:51), and that Adam was the Father of our spirits (i.e. the Adam-God Doctrine). Elohim (Heavenly Father) is the Father of the spirits of Jehovah (Jesus) and Michael. The Holy Ghost (as D&C 93:23 declares) is the Father! It declares that the Holy "Spirit" is the Father, and the two (Father and Son) become one as "Jesus Christ".
The Millennial Kingdom
The Church then is the Spiritual Kingdom of God; founded in order to save and exalt the souls of men. The Baha'i Faith is the "Millennial Kingdom". From the Latin "milli" (which means "1000") we get the words "Millennium" and "Millennial". The Dispensation of Baha'u'llah is to last exactly for 1000 years. The Faith is the Political Kingdom of God.
When Joseph Smith went into the Sacred Grove to pray, he was asking which of the sects of Christendom were true, and not which of the World Religions were true. The Baha'i Faith is not a "church". It is not a "sect" of another Religion. It is the Millennial Kingdom; the Kingdom of God And His Laws. Baha'is refer to It most often as "The Faith".
What then is the purpose of the Church? The LORD revealed this to Joseph the Seer in D&C ection 65, where He said that Kingdom of God on earth was set up to "prepare" the way for the Kingdom of Heaven (see D&C sec 65:5-6). The purpose of the Church is also to preach the Gospel, redeem the dead, and to perfect (exalt) the Saints (Elect of God).
Dear Reader, is all this just "mere coincidence"? Is it only a coincidence that the LORD told Joseph the Seer that the Son of Man would unveil His Face in 1890, and establish His Millennial Kingdom in 1891?
The Baha'is, the followers of Baha'u'llah, say unto you: the Millennial Kingdom has come! Christ has returned in the glory of His Father! The Holy Ghost came down and got a body. This tabernacle was named Prince Husayn Ali of Noor; of royal Persian and Jewish blood (He was also a descendant of the House of David--see Every Eye Shall See by Gary Matthews--available from Baha'i bookstores and libraries). He has come! The Holy Spirit of Promise has come!
Do not be afraid to embrace additional Truth; from non-LDS sources. Joseph Smith said, "One of the grand fundamental principles of 'Mormonism' is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may." (Teachings, p.313).
Mormonism includes all divine truths everywhere.
Mormon missionaries tell people to rely upon God, via His Holy Spirit, to reveal truth to them! When we rely upon our own brain-power, or upon the "arm of flesh", Divine Truth is never revealed to us!
The Baha'i Faith: An Introduction for Mormons
If you have not already, please read The Baha'i Faith: An Introduction for Mormons, and, after you have, please pray about what you have read. Follow the Spirit in all things. Dear Friend, the Millennial Kingdom has come! The Holy Ghost has come down and gotten a body! His name was Baha'u'llah: the Glory of God! Please come to a Baha'i Fireside and hear His Words as they are read. You'll know then, by the Holy Spirit, if He was of God or not. We testify to you that He is of God, and that His Mission was to establish the Millennial Kingdom of God on earth. We testify that Jesus is the Christ, that Baha'u'llah is the Spirit of Truth, that Joseph Smith was an inspired Seer who came to prepare the way. These things we testify to you of in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen!
Baha'i Firesides
A Baha'i Fireside is a very informal gathering of Baha'is and interested Seekers (investigators) at a Baha'i home. It consists of reading of Baha'i prayers (Seekers need not participate in this), a discussion on some topic, a question and answer period, and the serving of refreshments. Seekers are made to feel at home. They aren't 'put on the spot'. It's casual, friendly, and warm; with informal discussion and refreshments. If you'd like to attend a Baha'i Fireside near your home, then call 1-800-22-UNITE, and, once the recording asks you, press "2" and then leave your full name, telephone number, and a good time to reach you. You'll receive a call later on the next and nearest Fireside and directions to the location. Thank you and may peace be with you!