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Hi David, Ursus et al.
Let me start by saying that I agree that the issue of a prophetic timetable is
a very serious issue and should not be laughed off or buried under a technical
discussion of the meaning of “infallibility”. Throughout the twentieth century,
many prominent Baha’is were enkindled by the certainty that first the calamity,
then the Lesser Peace, and the resulting unity of nations would be a very
visible, tangible, world-dominating reality prior to 1 January 2001. They had
good reason to hold these views. It is not easy to interpret >World Order of
Baha’u’llah< pp. 45-46 and pp. 155-156 or >Promised Day Is Come< p.121 in ways
which do not lead to those convictions. Whatever the definition of “infallible”
might be, Shoghi Effendi’s letters were authoritative and normative for Baha’i
belief. The House of Justice, however, was always cautious about putting its
seal of approval on dogmatic pronouncements concerning the end of the century.
On 29 July 1974 for example the House writes to the NSA of the USA saying:
Dear Bahá'í friends,
149.1 We have received your letter of 19 June 1974 describing the preoccupation
of some American believers with the date of the Lesser Peace, and with their
feeling that "the calamity," as a prelude to that peace, is imminent.
149.2 It is true that 'Abdu'l-Bahá made statements linking the establishment of
the unity of nations to the twentieth century. For example: "The fifth candle
is the unity of nations -- a unity which, in this century, will be securely
established, causing all the peoples of the world to regard themselves as
citizens of one common fatherland."+F308 And, in The Promised Day is Come,
following a similar statement quoted from Some Answered Questions, Shoghi
Effendi makes this comment: "This is the stage which the world is now
approaching, the stage of world unity, which, as 'Abdu'l-Bahá assures us, will,
in this century, be securely established."+F309
[F309. PDIC P298; see also SAQ, p. 65.]
[F308. SWAB, p. 32.]
149.3 There is also this statement from a letter written in 1946 to an
individual believer on behalf of the beloved Guardian by his secretary: All we
know is that the Lesser and the Most Great Peace will come -- their exact dates
we do not know. The same is true as regards the possibility of a future war; we
cannot state dogmatically it will or will not take place -- all we know is that
mankind must suffer and be punished sufficiently to make it turn to God.
149.4 It is apparent that the disintegration of the old order is accelerating,
but the friends should not permit this inevitable process to deter them from
giving their undivided attention to the tasks lying immediately before them.
Let them take heart from the reassuring words of Shoghi Effendi contained in
the closing paragraphs of his momentous message of 5 June 1947, and concentrate
on the challenging tasks of this hour.+F310
[F310. CF, pp. 37-38.]
With loving Bahá'í greetings,
The Universal House of Justice
In spite of that guidance, a great many famous Baha’is who spoke at conferences
continued to believe that the end was at hand and that the dogs of war were
about to be permanently chained up in accordance with Baha’u’llah’s command.
Whatever we may all privately think of what has happened for the last eight
years, it certainly bears little resemblance to what we all thought in 1974
that the Lesser Peace would look like.
Now, with respect to scripture and the literal fulfillment of prophecy,
everyone please open your Bibles to the book of Zephaniah chapter 1 verse 14 in
particular: “The great day of the LORD is near, it is near, and hasteth
greatly, even the voice of the day of the LORD: the mighty man shall cry there
bitterly.” Apparently it was near and hastening greatly for about 2500 years.
Even now we can hardly say that Zephaniah’s prophecies have been fulfilled
literally.
Let us then proceed to the passages which imply that Jesus would return
within a single literal human lifetime.
Matt. 10:16-23 You will not finish going through all the cities of Israel”
Matt. 16:24-28 || Mark 9:1 || Luke 9:27 “Some will not taste of death…”
Matt. 23:29-39 || Luke11:47-52; 13:34-35 Killing the prophets; Desolation of
Jerusalem
Matt. 24:34-36 || Mark 13:30 || Luke 21:32-33 “This generation will not pass
away…”
“That day and hour no one knows…”
Luke 12:32-59 He comes when least expected and the servant is negligent
Acts 1:6-8 Times and seasons are not told
Rom. 13:8-12 The night is nearly over
Rom. 16:20 God will soon crush Satan
1st Corinth. 7:29-31 The time is short
Hebrews 10:35-37 A very little while
James 5 : 7-9 His Coming is near
1st Peter 1: 13-21 These Last Days
1st Peter 4: 7, 17 The End of All things is near…the time has come for
judgment to begin
Rev. 1:1-3 Prophecies must soon take place; The time is near
Rev. 2:16 I will come to you soon
Rev. 22: 6-21 (cf. Daniel 12:4, 9) “I am coming soon!” – Do not seal up the
book!
II Thessalonians 2:1-15 The Man of Lawlessness; the Strong Delusion
1st John 2: 18-19 The Last Hour
2nd Peter 1:19-21 No prophecy interpreted without the aid of the Spirit
2nd Peter 3: 3-13 One day… a thousand years
What is the role of non-fulfillment in God’s prophetic action?
Deuteronomy 18:20-22 Prophecy which does not come true.
Jeremiah 18:5-11 Prophetic fulfillment sometimes contingent on human response
Jonah 3:1 - 4:11 God relents when Nineveh repents
SAQ ch. 68 (p. 244); ch. 70 (p. 248-50) Destiny and Free Will
Psalm 78:1-8 Teaching in parables
Isaiah 6:1-13 Make…their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see…and
hear…
Finally, if people take to snarling or woofing at us, no matter how famous or
random they may be, whether Baha’is or not, “In every instance let the friends
be considerate and infinitely kind. Let them never be defeated by the malice of
the people, by their aggression and by their hate, no matter how intense. If
others hurl their darts against you, offer them milk and honey in return; if
they poison your lives, sweeten their souls…”
Selections from the Writings of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, p. 24
... and then refer them to Kitab-i-Iqan pp. 7-9
“Among the Prophets was Noah. For nine hundred and fifty years He prayerfully
exhorted His people and summoned them to the haven of security and peace. None,
however, heeded His call. Each day they inflicted on His blessed person such
pain and suffering that no one believed He could survive. How frequently they
denied Him, how malevolently they hinted their suspicion against Him! Thus it
hath been revealed: "And as often as a company of His people passed by Him,
they derided Him. To them He said: 'Though ye scoff at us now, we will scoff at
you hereafter even as ye scoff at us. In the end ye shall know.'"[1] Long
afterward, He several times promised victory to His companions and fixed the
hour thereof. But when the hour struck, the divine promise was not fulfilled.
This caused a few among the small number of His followers to turn away from
Him, and to this testify the records of the best-known books. These you must
certainly have perused; if not, undoubtedly you will. Finally, as stated in
books and traditions, there remained with Him only forty or seventy-two of His
followers. At last from the depth of His being He cried aloud: "Lord! Leave not
upon the land a single dweller from among the unbelievers."[1]
[1 Qur'án 11:38.]
And now, consider and reflect a moment upon the waywardness of this people.
What could have been the reason for such denial and avoidance on their part?
What could have induced them to refuse to put off the garment of denial, and to
adorn themselves with the robe of acceptance? Moreover, what could have caused
the nonfulfilment of the divine promise which led the seekers to reject that
which they had accepted? >>>Meditate profoundly,<<< that the secret of things
unseen may be revealed unto you, that you may inhale the sweetness of a
spiritual and imperishable fragrance, and that you may acknowledge the truth
that from time immemorial even unto eternity the Almighty hath tried, and will
continue to try, His servants, so that light may be distinguished from
darkness, truth from falsehood, right from wrong, guidance from error,
happiness from misery, and roses from thorns. Even as He hath revealed: "Do men
think when they say 'We believe' they shall be let alone and not be put to
proof?"[1]
[1 Qur'án 29:2.] (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Iqan, pp. 7-9)
Philippians 2:12-13 Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Don’t worry; Be happy!
Peace,
Gary
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