As a supplement to the presentation on “Divine Revelation as a Phenomenon”, we wanted to share with you some quotes that illustrate the principles mentioned in the presentation. We’ll highlight those in a couple of posts. The first is a quote from Baha’u’llah, describing the significance of divine revelation in the context of the other gifts that humans possess.  In this quote, Baha’u’llah says several things of significance, so we will go through it piece by piece.  It starts with-

Know thou that, according to what thy Lord, the Lord of all men, hath decreed in His Book, the favors vouchsafed by Him unto mankind have been, and will ever remain, limitless in their range. First and foremost among these favors, which the Almighty hath conferred upon man, is the gift of understanding. His purpose in conferring such a gift is none other except to enable His creature to know and recognize the one true God—exalted be His glory. This gift giveth man the power to discern the truth in all things, leadeth him to that which is right, and helpeth him to discover the secrets of creation.

Here, Baha’u’llah tells us that the gifts given to us by God (“vouchsafed” means “given”) have been “limitless in their range”. But the first of “these favors” is the gift of “understanding”.  The power of “understanding” encompasses reason, but seems to mean more than just that, because it leads us “to that which is right” and helps us “to discover the secrets of creation”.  That last part seems like science.  So science is a part of our “gift of understanding” but clearly “understanding” is not just science.  It’s also being able to distinguish right from wrong, and ultimately to “recognize the one true God”. 

The passage goes on-

 Next in rank, is the power of vision, the chief instrument whereby his understanding can function. The senses of hearing, of the heart, and the like, are similarly to be reckoned among the gifts with which the human body is endowed. Immeasurably exalted is the Almighty Who hath created these powers, and revealed them in the body of man.

This clearly is referring to our physical senses- vision, hearing…etc- which are different from reason and the power of “understanding”- but are the “chief instrument” by which they operate. We take in information from our senses, which we can then use to “understand” the world.  Baha’u’llah then encourages us to appreciate the God who brought into being a creation that allows these powers to be manifest in us.

But finally, Baha’u’llah says something really important about divine revelation-

These gifts are inherent in man himself. That which is preeminent above all other gifts, is incorruptible in nature, and pertaineth to God Himself, is the gift of Divine Revelation. Every bounty conferred by the Creator upon man, be it material or spiritual, is subservient unto this. It is, in its essence, and will ever so remain, the Bread which cometh down from Heaven. It is God’s supreme testimony, the clearest evidence of His truth, the sign of His consummate bounty, the token of His all-encompassing mercy, the proof of His most loving providence, the symbol of His most perfect grace. He hath, indeed, partaken of this highest gift of God who hath recognized His Manifestation in this Day.

So, this is really interesting. Baha’u’llah is saying that- just as the power of understanding and even our physical senses are “natural”, divine revelation is also natural and part of our world. It has a special function, and pertains to “God Himself”, meaning its not part of the endowment of capacities we were all born with, but something given to us from outside of ourselves.  He then says that this is “preeminent above all other gifts” and every other power and capacity we have is “subservient unto this”.  He then links it to an analogy given by Christ- that revelation is the “bread of heaven”. (“Man cannot live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” Matthew 4:4).  The “word’ that proceeds “out of the mouth of God” is, of course, divine revelation!

But then Baha’u’llah says something really illuminating.  Divine revelation is “God’s supreme testimony”, the “clearest evidence of His truth”, the “sign of His consummate bounty”, the “token of His all-encompassing mercy”, the “proof of His most loving providence”, the “symbol of His most perfect grace”.  All of these expressions subtly explain something different but they all center around the idea that the clearest “proof” that God exists, that He cares about humanity (“providence”), and that his care is an expression of “mercy”- is divine revelation!

The fact that God sends revelations to us, revelations that form the religions of humankind, is the clearest evidence we have that God both exists and cares about us.  This is kind of a different take on the “proof of God’s existence” but you don’t have to think too deeply to recognize that it is obviously true.  If God is going through the trouble of raising up religions to educate us, He’s clearly interested in how we are doing. 

There are some pretty serious “proofs” of God that start with the fact that humans can understand the world in a rational way. It is undoubtedly remarkable that not only are nature and the laws of nature here, but we are here to discover them- that we have a power of “understanding”.  The philosopher Rene’ Descartes reasoned through a proof like this in his famous “Meditations”. 

But divine revelation is what turns our discussion of God from a philosophical one to one that leads to real change in the world, by changing us.  It makes God real in a way we can truly feel and appreciate. The Baha’i writings teach us more about this “phenomenon” than any other previous scriptures.