As to the prophecies of the Bible: In the 33rd ch. of Deuteronomy in the 2nd v. God declares: “The Lord came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from Mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from His right hand went a fiery law for them.” This refers to four great Manifestations, Moses, Jesus, Muḥammad and Bahá’u’lláh. This is a sufficient prophecy, with its fulfillment, to convince any student of the Bible. Abraham has also prophesied that the eventful Return will occur in the fourth cycle. Genesis 15th ch. 16th v. contains references to the four cycles (i. e., four generations or ages after Abraham), first to that of Moses; second, Jesus; third, Muḥammad; and fourth to the cycle of Bahá’u’lláh, which fulfills the prophecies of all nations.

In Hosea, 6th ch. 2nd v. it is said: “In the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning.” Here, because the Manifestation of Moses had already taken place, only three days are mentioned. Again, the six days of creation, as mentioned in Genesis, refer to the Manifestations of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muḥammad, and the seventh day when it is said that God rested, is this Day in which God’s work attains completion. The same thing is written in the Qur’án, as follows : “God created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then He established Himself upon the throne.” These prophecies confirm each other in a remarkable manner, and are fulfilled truly. Moreover, the seventh day, when “God will then manifest Himself,” as stated in the Qur’án, is the time of the end, the appointed Day. Muḥammad has even referred to the place where the Manifestation of God would declare Himself. This place is: “The House of Peace” (Baghdád). In the Sura of Jonas the following verse is given: “And God will invite the peoples to (Dar-el-Salam) the House of Peace, and will guide whomsoever He willeth to the right path.”

We beg of God to prepare the peoples of the world for His Message, and to help us to teach His Commands to the nations. We must pray God to keep us protected from the many tests that we encounter in life, and to guard us from such attachments in this earthly kingdom, which is mortal, as may hinder us from the Kingdom which is immortal. The things of this world should be considered as means to an end, but not the end. The more one earns in this world the greater becomes his care, the less he thinks of the Kingdom to come. May we be children of that Kingdom!

The purpose of the Prophets in the past was to prepare men for this especial time. The purport of all their writings was concerning this Day. To illustrate: Daniel the prophet, at the close of his book (ch. 12th) gives three historical prophecies regarding this dispensation. One is concerning the Báb and His time, under the name of Michael. He mentions another as “time, times (the dual, two times) and a half” “Time” is the expression of a thousand, and “two times” of two hundred, and “a half” of fifty, the total of which is 1250 years. (Another reckoning of the “times” is according to the Metonic cycle of 360 years, viz: One “time” equals 360; two “times” equals 720, and “half a time” equals 180. Together they equal 1260 years.)

This time fills the interval between the appearance of Muḥammad, the Prophet, and the day of the public declaration of Bahá’u’lláh. It is an exact prophecy and its fulfillment is to the moment. The third date given by Daniel concerns the spread of this blessed Message and the time wherein the Spirit of the Word shall encompass the world, even as our Master, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá—May we be His devoted servants!—emphasized the truth that the fragrances of Life shall reach all parts of the globe.

Among other beautiful utterances, which have come from the Master regarding this point, we cite the following: