Concept

The Two Trumpets

In the Baha'i Writings there are often references to the Revealers as 'Trumpets', and the Revealers as sitting on Thrones. Two Trumpets being blown would therefore be two Revealers - one after the other.

"And the trumpet shall be blown, and those who are in the heavens and in the earth shall swoon, save whom God pleases. Then it shall be blown again, and, lo! they shall stand up and look on. And the earth shall beam with the light of its Lord, and the Book shall be set forth, and the prophets and martyrs shall be brought; and it shall be decreed between them in truth, and they shall not be wronged!"
The Qur'an [Koran] Sura 39 - The Troops

The Bab, Mirza 'Ali-Muhammad, (the first Trumpet) was born in the city of Shiraz Persia, October 20, 1819. He declared His mission in 1844. There was a lot of excitement as the One who became known as the Bab already had wisdom, eloquence, great knowledge and courage. This chapter describes the problems of the world at that time, which will continue until the new Twin Manifestations of God (the Bab and Baha'u'llah) are recognized.

It was eight years (1852) after the Bab's declaration in 1844, before the person to be Baha'u'llah (the second Trumpet) found out who He Himself was. His Mission began in January, 1853. Another ten years went by before Baha'u'llah declared that He was the Promised One, in 1863.

In the AFTERWORD - The FOUR BEASTS

A very important concept and thread throughout the Book of Revelation deals with the Four Beasts. Much confusion arises in understanding them, for the following reasons.

  1. In most modern translations of the Bible the Greek word that the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible translates as 'beasts' is translated as 'living creatures'. Later in the text a different word is translated as 'beast' but the KJV translates both words as 'beast'.

  2. There are 'good beasts' (living creatures) and 'bad beasts'. In actuality they are all the same. Those who are familiar with Christian theology should have no difficulty with concept because it parallels that of the perfectly created man, fallen man, and redeemed man.

  3. A greater difficulty for most is that there are such a variety of beasts mentioned in the Bible. The chart in the Afterword of this chapter shows that while to Ezekiel, Daniel, and John the beasts appeared somewhat different in characteristic, and in different order that once we make the appropriate parallels and substitutions, we find that they are all speaking of the same thing.

Bible Verses

[1] After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

Commentary

V.1 The Book of Revelation gives new meaning to religion, bringing new concepts, also a history that is truly amazing as it is right on with the times of this century. For Baha'is this whole chapter is about The Bab, which is of course meaningless to those who have not studied out the Most Clear Proof and recognized The Bab and Baha'u'llah.

"Raise the cry: 'Awake, awake, for, lo! the Gate of God is open, and the morning Light is shedding its radiance upon all mankind! The promised One is made manifest; prepare the way for Him, O people of the earth! Deprive not yourselves of its redeeming grace, nor close your eyes to its effulgent glory.' Those whom you find receptive to your call, share with them the epistles and tablets We have revealed for you, that, perchance, these wondrous words may cause them to turn away from the slough of heedlessness, and soar into the realm of the Divine presence."
Shoghi Effendi, The Dawn-Breakers, p. 85
The trumpet asketh: 'Hath the Bugle been sounded?' Say: 'Yea, by the King of Revelation!, when He mounted the throne of His Name, the All-Merciful.'
Baha'u'llah, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, p. 132

[2] And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.

V.2 The Book of Revelation is of great spiritual depth actually describing a world of reality far deeper than the illusionary one that appears to us.

[3] And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.

V.3 The 'One on the throne' was compared to three jewels, a Jasper stone a sardine and an emerald. The ancient Jasper is green and clear, a symbol of clarity. The Sardine stone is milk white, a symbol of purity. The emerald is green, a symbol of Springtime. There is a rainbow around His throne, made up of seven prismatic color - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. The rainbow is a symbol of the seven religions of the world. The different colors when brought together make up one ray of light. When you study all the religions you understand better the one in which you were raised. Together they give a beautiful message with a much fuller meaning of truth, and together they bring unity. This is the beginning of a new day, a new cycle, a new age.

[4] And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold.

V.4 Around the throne or 'station of divine authority' sat twenty-four elders or disciples (see Rev.11:16). They had crowns of gold, meaning spiritual authority and were clothed in white - meaning with righteousness and purity.

"This Revelation," Mulla Husayn has further testified, "so suddenly and impetuously thrust upon me, came as a thunderbolt which, for a time, seemed to have benumbed my faculties. I was blinded by its dazzling splendor and overwhelmed by its crushing force. Excitement, joy, awe, and wonder stirred the depths of my soul. Predominant among these emotions was a sense of gladness and strength which seemed to have transfigured me. How feeble and impotent, how dejected and timid, I had felt previously! Then I could neither write nor walk, so tremulous were my hands and feet. Now, however, the knowledge of His Revelation had galvanized my being. I felt possessed of such courage and power that were the world, all its peoples and its potentates, to rise against me, I would, alone and undaunted, withstand their onslaught. The universe seemed but a handful of dust in my grasp. I seemed to be the voice of Gabriel personified, calling unto all mankind: 'Awake, for, lo! the morning Light has broken. Arise, for His Cause is made manifest. The portal of His grace is open wide; enter therein, O peoples of the world! For He Who is your promised One is come!'"
Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By p. 6

[5] And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

V.5 Great lightnings and thunderings and voices, the great disturbances of the Message that a new Prophet brings are the great storms of opposition and violence, coming mostly from the leaders of religion and politics. The Seven Spirits, like lamps burning with the love of God, as has been so often repeated, and will be repeated many times hereafter, are the Seven Angels or Prophets of the seven great religions of the world, the followers of Whom are the ones to which this new Message is directed.

[6] And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.

V.6 This verse has the first mention of "beasts" in the Book of Revelation. The Beasts are a very important thread and the Afterword of this chapter provides a full discussion about them.

The sea of glass like unto crystal before the throne is the clear and pure Spiritual Teachings of God. The beasts being full of eyes before and behind shows their receptivity to the Teachings.

[7] And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.

V.7 While in this verse the Four Beasts are represented as a lion, calf, face of a man, and flying eagle, in other verses they are presented somewhat differently, but are the same Four Beasts.

In the Afterword this Chapter Four there is an extensive discussion about the descriptions and character of the Four Beasts.

[8] And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.

V.8 The four beasts are described as each having six wings which represent the power to spread the faith rapidly. They have eyes that can see within, representing the ability to see the future implications and past development with understanding and insight. They rest neither day nor night, and praise God, who was, (the Revealers of the past) and is, (the Revealers at present) and is to come (the Revealers of the future). God is always there to guide mankind.

WE desire to mention him who hath set his face towards Us and to let him once again drink deep from the life-giving waters of Our gracious providence that he may be enabled to draw nigh unto My Horizon, be adorned with Mine attributes, soar in Mine atmosphere, be confirmed in that which will cause the sanctity of My Cause to be manifested amongst My people and to celebrate My praise in a manner that will cause every hesitating soul to hasten, every motionless creature to wing its flight, every mortal frame to be consumed, every chilled heart to be stirred with life and every dejected spirit to surge with delight.
Baha'u'llah, Tablets of Baha'u'llah, p. 262

[9] And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever,

V.9 As discussed in the Afterword, the four beasts, actually "four living creatures" represent humanity, the whole of which is to turn unto the Lord.

[10] The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

V.10 The Baha'i Teachings say that there are such depths to the scriptures that each verse has seventy meanings. Many studying these verses have found other meanings that they have perhaps been meant to find. For the Baha'is, many read the themes presented here as directly applying to the advent of the Baha'i Revelation.

" these "Springs that have welled out from the Source of His Revelation," these first companions who, in the words of the Persian Bayan, "enjoy nearest access to God," these "Luminaries that have, from everlasting, bowed down, and will everlastingly continue to bow down, before the Celestial Throne," and lastly these "elders" mentioned in the Book of Revelation as "sitting before God on their seats," "clothed in white raiment" and wearing on their heads "crowns of gold" -- these were, ere their dispersal, summoned to the Bab's presence, Who addressed to them His parting words, entrusted to each a specific task, and assigned to some of them as the proper field of their activities their native provinces. He enjoined them to observe the utmost caution and moderation in their behavior, unveiled the loftiness of their rank, and stressed the magnitude of their responsibilities. He recalled the words addressed by Jesus to His disciples, and emphasize=d the superlative greatness of the New Day.
Shoghi Effendi, God Passes By p. 7

[11] Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

V.11 God has created mankind to worship Him.

The banner of the Holy Spirit is uplifted, and men see it, and are assured with the knowledge that this is a new day. This is a new cycle of human power. All the horizons of the world are luminous, and the world will become indeed as a garden and a paradise. It is the hour of unity of the sons of men and of the drawing together of all races and all classes.
'Abdu'l-Baha, 'Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 19

Afterword Chapter Four

The Four Beasts in the Book of Revelation

The FOUR BEASTS is an important archetype and thread in the Book of Revelation starting here in Rev 4:6 and Rev 5:6.

As with any archetype, they may be seen from different perspectives in different situations and applications.

There are Native Teachings that seem to be in spirit with the concept of the Four Beasts/Four Living Creatures used in this book and we would like to include them because they reflect the earliest revelations of the Spirit to Man, and by tradition are descended from the Sabean roots.

One difficulty with Native Traditions is that we don't have ancient manuscripts as we do with other religions, and another is that they vary from one Native Culture to another.

The following is an abstract from a Native Prophecy of the Hopi Indians that can be seen as being similar to the Four Beasts - The Four Living Creatures (Rev. 4:6), the Four Winds of the Euphrates (Rev. 6:17) and Daniel 7:2.

At the beginning of this cycle of time, long ago, the Great Spirit came down and He made an appearance and He gathered the peoples of this earth together and He said to the human beings, "I'm going to send you to four directions and over time I'm going to change you to four colors."

  • To the Indian people, the red people, he gave the Guardianship of the earth.

  • To the South, he gave the yellow race of people the Guardianship of the wind.

  • To the West He gave the black race of people the Guardianship of the water.

  • To the North He gave the white race of people the Guardianship of the fire.

excerpts from a talk attributed to Lee Brown (Cherokee), 1986 Continental Indigenous Council, Fairbanks, Alaska

Many Bible scholars stand in awe at the inspired nature of the King James Version of the Bible, so it is not without reason that it remains the most popular translation of the Scriptures. There is one phrase, however, that most of the many, many modern versions/translations wish that the KJV had done differently, and that is in regards to the translation of the word "beasts" in the early chapters of the Book of Revelation.

The original Koine Greek text used one word in the early chapters, and mostly another in the latter. With ourselves, there is no quibble with the KJV translators that both refer to the same beasts. The issue is that they refer to different natures and qualities of the beasts. In the early chapters they refer to what we will call here the higher nature of man, as being submissive "living creatures" (the preferred translation) surrounding the Throne of God in adoration and praise (what I refer to as the good beasts) and later they become rebellious (the bad beasts) much in similarity as attributed to the fall of Adam, and then finally, in the terminating chapters we again find them "redeemed".

Not to put too much stress on their individual identities, but rather really to identify them with the whole of humanity, because afterall, Baha'u'llah does say:

He Who is your Lord, the All-Merciful, cherisheth in His heart the desire of beholding the entire human race as one soul and one body.
Baha'u'llah, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p.78

The Bible Scriptures themselves give various descriptions of the creatures identities and qualties, sometimes attributing to them six wings, as in the Books of Revelation and Isaiah, and at other times four wings, as in Daniel and Ezekiel, (the latter often being interpreted as a description of aircraft). All these differences pertain to the circumstances in which they are dealing with the archetype, but in the following tables we will try to reconcile some of their commonalities.

Rev.4:7 Ezekiel Ch. 1 Daniel Ch. 7 Rev.13:2
lion
calf
man
eagle
Man
Lion
Ox
eagle
lion (w/ eagle's wings)
Bear
Leopard
Dragon
Leopard
Bear
Lion
Dragon

This first table lists the symbols
in the order that they appear in each chapter.


Symbol Rev.4:7 Ezekiel Ch. 1 Daniel Ch. 7 Rev.13:2 Native Country
Lion Rev.4:7 Ezekiel Daniel Rev.13:2 UK/US
Bear Daniel Rev.13:2 Russia
Leopard Daniel Rev.13:2 China
Dragon Daniel Rev.13:2 Middle East
Man Rev.4:7 Ezekiel
Eagle Rev.4:7 Ezekiel
Calf Rev.4:7
Ox Ezekiel

This second table brings them to a common order -
using Daniel as the standard and assigning them countries
in accordance with what we identify by the scriptures describing them.

Symbol Rev.4:7 Ezekiel Ch. 1 Daniel Ch. 7 Rev.13:2 Native Country
Lion Rev.4:7 Good Beast Ezekiel Daniel Rev.13:2 False Beast South UK/US
Bear
Calf/Ox
Rev.4:7 Good Beast Ezekiel Daniel Rev.13:2 False Beast North Russia
Leopard
Man
Rev.4:7 Good Beast Ezekiel Daniel Rev.13:2 False Beast West China
Dragon
Eagle
Rev.4:7 Good Beast Ezekiel Daniel Rev.13:2 False Beast East Middle East

In this third table, by gathering together the alternatives
to the two symbols bear and dragon, we unify the table -
and show it to be consistent -
and we are particularly able to identify the False (counterfeit) Beast -
which plays a prominent role in relationship to Babylon the Great.


The assignment to the Native directions is more problematical. In many Bible verses we identify the bear with Russia and the King of the North so there is no difficulty in saying in our transportation to native terms that to the North He gave the white race of people the Guardianship of the fire. The Northern Hemisphere and Northern Europe with its relationship in migration of peoples to North America all fits right in (although we call America the King of the South because it seems so identified in Daniel Chapter Eleven). And to identify this people and race with fire is no stretch since they are the ones who subdued its power in everything from steam engines to the internal combustion engine and even split the atom for the nuclear furnance and its military implementations.

Other parts of the world, and other races, do also seem to emphasize=particular concerns and characteristics, but there is no need to make too fine a point of this and strain at one to one relationships. Different Native Traditions make different assignments to the Four Directions, the Four Winds, the Four colors and so forth, but are almost universal in their recognition of these divisions. In general principles it all points to the interrelatedness, and native harmony of humanity, while to try to press it through too fine a seive results in straining out gnats and swallowing camels.

Likewise, these Indians, should they be educated and guided, there can be no doubt that they will become so illumined as to enlighten the whole world.
'Abdu'l-Baha, Tablets of the Divine Plan, p. 33
I hope you will continue in unity and fellowship. How beautiful to see blacks and whites together! I hope, God willing, the day may come when I shall see the red men, the Indians, with you, also Japanese and others. Then there will be white roses, yellow roses, red roses, and a very wonderful rose garden will appear in the world.
'Abdu'l-Baha, The Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 428


In an appendix to this:

and in an appendix to:

We also attach an appendix here to:

    Chapter Four Verses from Daniel Chapter 7

      (that parallels the description of the Beasts in Revelation Chapter 13.)
      We attach it here, rather than at Revelation Chapter 13,
      because it is useful to have the description and meaning of the Beasts from the outset.

The paralleling Ezekiel verses are in Ezekiel Chapter 1 and one may read the whole of that chapter if they wish, where each of the "living creatures" are mentioned specifically. Many see in them an archetype for modern military aircraft and their weaponry.


The four horns, although closely related, are not beasts, but are the four religions which are active regarding Armageddon in the area of the great river 'Euphrates' which are the:

    Jewish, Zoroastrian/Shia Islam, Christian, and the Sunni Islam religions.

There is a longer discussion about them
in connection to the archetype of the Four Angels of the Euphrates
in the Afterword of Revelation Chapter Nine.

    Rev.9:13 And the sixth angel (Christian) sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
    Rev.9:14 Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates.