Chain and Cross VII: Elijah

Through the prophet, Malachi, God said, "'Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.'"(Malachi, 4:4-6)

In describing a central figure of Baha'i revelation known as the Bab (Persian for "the Door" or "the Gate") the pre-eminent Baha'i, Shoghi Effendi, said of Mt. Carmel in Israel: "Within this Most Holy Land rises the Mountain of God of immemorial sanctity, the Vineyard of the Lord, the Retreat of Elijah, Whose return the Báb Himself symbolizes." (Shoghi Effendi, Citadel of Faith, p. 95)

This one known as the Bab was a Prophet and herald for Baha'u'llah. Baha'u'llah was, Himself, a Prophet and more, a Manifestation on earth of our Lord God, a figure Who fulfills the promises of Manifestations of God of the past.

Elijah, the Bab, Jesus, Baha'u'llah, John the Baptist; These five figures are profoundly interrelated. Jesus and Baha'u'llah are tied together by Daniel and St. John of Patmos in the Bible. Baha'u'llah fulfills the promises of Jesus of the coming of the "Son of Man" (Matthew 24:27), the day of the Lord coming "...as a thief in the night" (I Thessalonians 5:1-2, II Peter 3:8-10). There is more about this in the first webpage of this Chain and Cross series (http://www.chainandcross.blogspot.com). The point here is that the missions of Jesus and Baha'u'llah each were heralded by an important spokesman.

For Jesus, that spokesman was John the Baptist. As every student of the Bible knows, John was the return of Elijah promised by Malachi (Malachi 4). John did not recognize himself as such as seen in these words of John the Apostle on John the Baptist: "And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 'Who art thou?'And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, 'I am not the Christ.' And they asked him, 'What then? Art thou Elijah?' And he saith, 'I am not.' ' Art thou that prophet?' And he answered, 'No.' Then said they unto him, 'Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?' He said, 'I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Isaiah.'" (John 1:19-23)

The Apostle Matthew clarified with this account of the words of Jesus, Himself: “'Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elijah, which was for to come.'
“'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.'” (Matthew 11:7-15)

A person may legitimately question this apparent contradiction; that is, John the Baptist denies being the returns of Elijah, but Jesus, Himself declares John to be that very thing. But the resolution of this lies in the reality of what the "return" is. It is a reality that can transcend even the person's comprehension of it. It can come to pass that others may even recognize it, but the person bearing the reality of "return" may not as John the Baptist did not.

"Return", therefore, is a deeply profound and spiritual kind of reality. It is one that demands a spiritual response to accept. A response based on worldly experience or empirical evidence does not suffice. In this material world, we are accustomed to building our understanding so that it leads to belief. Spiritual reality, however is not bound by conventional standards of human knowledge that can replicate the results scientifically. Instead, it demands faith, that act of human will that puts belief before understanding. That is the act of faith. Once implemented, human effort will garner understanding only after belief is in place.

Elijah is known for his might as a prophet, the power of his conviction and faith, his absolute certitude. His reputation is established in his confrontation with the priests of Baal. This brought great enmity between himself and King Ahab of Israel. King Ahab had married Jezebel and followed her way into the worship of Baal. Indeed, Jezebel persecuted the prophets of God and sought to kill them all. Elijah came forth and challenged Ahab and Jezebel and their cruelty to the people of God.

"And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, 'Art thou he that troubleth Israel?”'And he answered, 'I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim. Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel's table.'

"So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, 'How long halt ye between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him.' And the people answered him not a word.

"Then said Elijah unto the people, 'I, even I only, remain a prophet of the LORD; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God.' And all the people answered and said, 'It is well spoken.'

"And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, 'Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.' And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, 'O Baal, hear us.' But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

"And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, 'Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.' And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them. And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

"And Elijah said unto all the people, 'Come near unto me.' And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the LORD that was broken down. And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the LORD came, saying, 'Israel shall be thy name:' And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed. And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, 'Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.' And he said, 'Do it the second time.' And they did it the second time. And he said, 'Do it the third time.' And they did it the third time. And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

"And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, 'LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.'

"Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

"And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, 'The LORD, he is the God; the LORD, he is the God.'" (I Kings 18:17-39)

Subsequent to this, Elijah took refuge in a cave on Mt. Carmel where he was sustained for a time by ravens. This he did because King Ahab and Jezebel were seeking him out for his effrontery. The Bab, made a prisoner by the Shah of Persia, was incarcerated in the mountain prison of Mah-Ku, for he, likewise, was audacious and bold before the Shah.

The conviction of Elijah's words comes from his sure knowledge of his mission in God. Likewise, we can see that same conviction in the words of the Bab in the days of His affliction, persecution and imprisonment in the remote mountain stronghold of Maku in northwestern Persia.

"I swear by Him Who createth all beings and unto Whom all shall return, if anyone at the hour of death beareth hatred towards Me or disputeth the clear tokens wherewith I have been invested, then naught but afflictive torment shall be his lot. On that day no ransom will be accepted, nor will any intercession be permitted, unless God so please. Verily He is the All-Compelling, the All-Glorious; and no God is there other than Him, the sovereign Ruler, the Almighty, the Most Severe.

"If thou rejoicest in My imprisonment, woe then unto thee for the grievous torment which will soon overtake thee. Indeed God hath permitted no one to pass unfair judgement, and if thou wouldst fain do so, then soon shalt thou learn.

"From the first day that I cautioned thee not to wax proud before God until the present time, four years have elapsed, and during this space naught have I witnessed, either from thee or from thy soldiers, except dire oppression and disdainful arrogance. Methinks thou dost imagine that I wish to gain some paltry substance from this earthly life. Nay, by the righteousness of My Lord! In the estimation of them that have fixed their eyes upon the merciful Lord, the riches of the world and its trappings are worth as much as the eye of a dead body, nay even less. Far from His glory be what they associate with Him!... I seek patience only in God. Verily He is the best protector and the best helper. No refuge do I seek save God. Verily He is the guardian and the best supporter...

"If thou art not apprehensive that the truth might be revealed and the works of the ungodly be brought to naught, why summonest thou not the divines of the land, and then summon Me, so that I may confound them forthwith, even as those disbelievers whom I have previously confounded? This is My sure testimony unto thee and unto them, if they speak the truth. Summon thou all of them. Should they then be able to utter words like unto this, thou wouldst know that their cause is worthy of attention. Nay, by the righteousness of My Lord! They are bereft of power, nor are they endued with perception. They professed faith in the past without understanding its significance, then later they repudiated the Truth; for they are devoid of discernment."

"If thou hast decided to shed My blood, wherefore dost thou delay? Thou art now endowed with power and authority. For Me it will prove an infinite bounty conferred by God, while for thee and for them that would commit such an act it will amount to a chastisement meted out by Him."(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, pp. 20-21)

Prepared, as was Elijah, to call down the might of God in the very face of all who doubted, we indeed see that spirit of Elijah in the daring and challenge of the Bab. The King, however, failed to acknowledge this message of the Bab. The consequences were to come later.

Until Elijah, the ordinary idea of the intervention of God was in terms of mighty signs; earthquakes, lightning, floods, thunder, fire and a great voice. But, after overcoming a multitude of the foes of God in his day, Elijah began to hear God in a different way: "And he said, 'Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD.' And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.

"And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, 'What doest thou here, Elijah?'

"And he said, 'I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.' (I Kings 19:11-14)

The full might and potency of God Almighty found in the still small voice is similarly reflected in the dimensionless quality of that tiny but profound abstraction of a point. Whether a point in time, in place, in memory or understanding, this point is a designation of the Bab as the "Primal Point". Of this, Baha'ullah unveils great lessons: "Thus, when He Who is the Primal Point and the eternal Sun desireth, by the leave of God, to gather together all creation, to raise them up from the graves of their own selves, and to divide them one from another, He shall pronounce but one verse from Him, and this verse will distinguish truth from error from this day unto the Day of Resurrection. What sword is sharper than this heavenly sword, what blade more trenchant than this incorruptible steel that severeth every tie and separateth thereby the believer from the infidel, father from son, brother from sister, and lover from beloved? For whoso believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him is a true believer and whoso turneth away is an infidel, and such an irrevocable separation occurreth between them that they will cease to consort and associate with each other in this world. And so it is between father and son, for should the son believe and the father deny, they will be severed and forever dissociated from each other. Nay rather, thou witnesseth how the son slayeth the father and the father the son. Consider in the same light all that We have explained and related unto thee." (Baha'u'llah, Gems of Divine Mysteries, pp. 56-57)

We have seen this sword before. "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

"He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

"He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward." (Jesus Christ, Matthew 10:34-42)

The mantle of Elijah was handed down upon Elisha. Among the things that followed were miracles that bear remarkable resemblance to those of Jesus in a later century.

As in Christ's changing of the water into wine and the applying of mud to heal the eyes of a blind man. --- "And the men of the city said unto Elisha, 'Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.' And he said, 'Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein.' And they brought it to him. And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, 'Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land.'

"So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake." (II Kings 2:19-22)

As in the multiplying of the loaves and fishes. --- "Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, 'Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.' And Elisha said unto her, 'What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house?' And she said, 'Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil.' Then he said, 'Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full.'

"So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, 'Bring me yet a vessel.' And he said unto her, 'There is not a vessel more.' And the oil stayed. Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, 'Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.'" (II Kings 4:1-7)

As in Christ's raising of the dead. ---"And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi, and said, 'Call this Shunammite.' So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, 'Take up thy son.'" (II Kings 4:32-36)

As in Christ's changing of the water into wine. ---"And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, 'O thou man of God, there is death in the pot.' And they could not eat thereof. But he said, 'Then bring meal.' And he cast it into the pot; and he said, 'Pour out for the people, that they may eat.' And there was no harm in the pot." (II Kings 4:39-41)

As in Christ's multiplying of the loaves and the fishes and the feeding of the multitude. --- "And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat. And his servitor said, 'What, should I set this before an hundred men?' He said again, 'Give the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.' So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof, according to the word of the LORD." (II Kings 4:42-44)

As in Christ's healing of the lepers. --- "So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, 'Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.'

"But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, 'Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean?' So he turned and went away in a rage.

"And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, 'My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?' Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

"And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, 'Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.' But he said, 'As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none.' And he urged him to take it; but he refused." (II Kings 5:9-16)

As in Christ's power even after the final act. --- "And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet." (II Kings 13:21)

The idea of "inheriting the mantle", that is, receiving the authority and responsibility of one who has gone before is ages old. The mantle of Elijah is emblematic of the spirit from God that endows the prophets. We know this endowment in the story of Elisha. We further know this endowment in the ministry of St. John the Baptist. Placed upon these two great figures, we can see its effect on the Bab.

"And the LORD said unto him, 'Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.'

"So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, 'Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee.' And he said unto him, 'Go back again: for what have I done to thee?' And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him." (I Kings 19:15-21)

Of course, the climactic use by Elijah of his mantle is given above in the account of Elijah's ascension and the relinquishment of his mantle to Elisha. Later, we see this "passing of the mantle" in Jesus' words from St. Matthew's account; "And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, 'What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.'

"'But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.'

"'And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.'

"'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.'" (Matthew 11:7-15)

Again, Jesus, through Matthew, tells us; "And his disciples asked him, saying, 'Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?' And Jesus answered and said unto them, 'Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.'

"Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist." (Matthew 17:10-13)

In the annual practice of the Seder, the Passover supper of the Jews, it is customary to remember Elijah. Before the conclusion of the Seder the leader of the ceremony refers to the Messiah always having a forerunner, a preparer of the way and of the passage of Malachi 4:5-6 (quoted above) foretelling the return of Elijah. Carrying through on this, one of the children at the Seder is directed to open the door to the room. This represents the readiness of the celebrants to receive Elijah should he appear to them. It is noteworthy, at this point, to recall that the name, "the Bab", means "the Door", or "the Gate". Jesus tells us through St. Luke, this spirit of Elijah appears in St. John the Baptist: "'And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'" (Luke 1:17) It also appears in the Bab whose entire ministry was a fulfillment of this same purpose in preparing the way for Baha'u'llah.

A cup is also a part of the Seder at this same point. It is the last in five cups of wine poured throughout the Seder and is the cup of the covenant. Whereas the celebrants drink of the other four cups, this one is set aside, for only one of two people may drink from it; Elijah, for whom the door is opened, or Messiah. This cup is associated with a passage from Jeremiah, "'Behold, the days come,' saith the LORD, 'that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them,' saith the LORD: 'But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.'" (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

Jesus took this cup with bread, and as St. Luke tells us, "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, 'This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.' Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.'" ( Luke 22:19-20). Some translators use the word "covenant" in place of "testament".

Baha'u'llah, the One for whom the Bab prepared the way, likewise uses this image in His most holy book, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, His book of law; "This is the Day in which He Who held converse with God hath attained the light of the Ancient of Days, and quaffed the pure waters of reunion from this Cup that hath caused the seas to swell. Say: By the one true God! Sinai is circling round the Dayspring of Revelation, while from the heights of the Kingdom the Voice of the Spirit of God is heard proclaiming: 'Bestir yourselves, ye proud ones of the earth, and hasten ye unto Him.' Carmel hath, in this Day, hastened in longing adoration to attain His court, whilst from the heart of Zion there cometh the cry: 'The promise is fulfilled. That which had been announced in the holy Writ of God, the Most Exalted, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved, is made manifest.'

"O kings of the earth! The Most Great Law hath been revealed in this Spot, this scene of transcendent splendour. Every hidden thing hath been brought to light by virtue of the Will of the Supreme Ordainer, He Who hath ushered in the Last Hour, through Whom the Moon hath been cleft, and every irrevocable decree expounded." (Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, pp. 48-49)