Baha’u’llah taught that the religions of God are progressively revealed to humanity.  One beautiful and poignant analogy for this process of the unfoldment of God’s faith is the change of the seasons, with the spring representing the birth of a new revelation of God, when spirits come alive just as flowers and trees come alive in the spring. Baha’u’llah called this a “Divine Springtime”.  In the northeast of the United States, we are now experiencing the outer manifestations of springtime and it is a good representation of what happens to humanity’s spirituality with a new revelation.  Baha’is are also celebrating the “Festival of Ridvan (Paradise)” right now, remembering the time when Baha’u’llah spent 12 days with pitched tents in a garden and announced for the first time His revelation to all humanity.  For all these reasons, it seemed appropriate to use this week to highlight the concept of progressive revelation and the fundamental oneness of religion through several posts. 

Below is a selection from a talk ‘Abdu’l-Baha’ made in New York on how religion can be understood as we understand the changing of the seasons.  A short video recently produced and highlighted by the Baha’is of Canada follows, explaining the same idea.  Enjoy!

The spiritual world is like unto the phenomenal world. They are the exact counterpart of each other. Whatever objects appear in this world of existence are the outer pictures of the world of heaven. When we look upon the phenomenal world, we perceive that it is divided into four seasons; one is the season of spring, another the season of summer, another autumn and then these three seasons are followed by winter. When the season of spring appears in the arena of existence, the whole world is rejuvenated and finds new life. The soul-refreshing breeze is wafted from every direction; the soul-quickening bounty is everywhere; the cloud of mercy showers down its rain, and the sun shines upon everything. Day by day we perceive that the signs of vegetation are all about us. Wonderful flowers, hyacinths and roses perfume the nostrils. The trees are full of leaves and blossoms, and the blossoms are followed by fruit. The spring and summer are followed by autumn and winter. The flowers wither and are no more; the leaves turn gray and life has gone. Then comes another springtime; the former springtime is renewed; again a new life stirs within everything.

The appearances of the Manifestations of God are the divine springtime. When Christ appeared in this world, it was like the vernal bounty; the outpouring descended; the effulgences of the Merciful encircled all things; the human world found new life. Even the physical world partook of it. The divine perfections were upraised; souls were trained in the school of heaven so that all grades of human existence received life and light. Then by degrees these fragrances of heaven were discontinued; the season of winter came upon the world; the beauties of spring vanished; the excellences and perfections passed away; the lights and quickening were no longer evident; the phenomenal world and its materialities conquered everything; the spiritualities of life were lost; the world of existence became life unto a lifeless body; there was no trace of the spring left.Bahá’u’lláh has come into this world. He has renewed that springtime. The same fragrances are wafting; the same heat of the Sun is giving life; the same cloud is pouring its rain, and with our own eyes we see that the world of existence is advancing and progressing. The human world has found new life.I hope that each and all of you may become like unto verdant and green trees so that through the breezes of the divine spring, the outpouring of heaven, the heat of the Sun of Truth, you may become eternally refreshed; that you may bear blossoms and become fruitful; that you may not be as fruitless trees. Fruitless trees do not  bring forth fruits or flowers. I hope that all of you may become friends of the paradise of Abhá, appearing with the utmost freshness and spiritual beauty.