Deepen2

BOOK 2 Deepening Themes SECTION 2:

Eternal Covenant of God

The Creator of all things is God, the One, the Incomparable, the Self-Subsisting. He has created the heavens and the earth with its mountains and valleys, its forests, meadows, deserts, rivers and seas. God has caused every living thing to come into being. He has made man and has engraved on him His image.

Baha'u'llah teaches us that the essence of God is incomprehensible to the human mind, for the finite cannot comprehend the infinite. The representations that the followers of various religions make of Him are but fruits of their own imaginations. God is not a man, and He is not a mere force spread throughout the universe. The
words we must necessarily use to refer to the Source of our being, such as the Heavenly Father, the Heavenly Power, the Great Spirit, each express one of His names and attributes in the human tongue, which is totally inadequate to describe Him.

In the Hidden Words, we read:

"0 Son of Man! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life."

According to these words of Baha'u'llah, God's love for us is the very reason for our existence. We must be ever conscious of this love which protects us, sustains us, and fills us with the spirit of life. In moments of difficulty or ease, of sadness or joy, we must remember that His love is continually being showered upon us.

From the Baha'i Teachings, we leam that having created us out of His love. God has established with us a Covenant which is to last throughout the ages. The word "covenant" means pact or promise between two or more people. According to the Eternal Covenant, the All-Bountiful Creator never abandons us, and, from time to time, makes His Will and His Purpose known to us through one of His Manifestations.

The verb "manifest" means to reveal, to show something that was not known before. The Manifestations of God are those special Beings who reveal to us the Word of God. They are Universal Educators who teach us how to live according to the Will of God and how to achieve true happiness. Among these Manifestations are Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Christ, Muhammad, and, of course, the Bab and Baha'u'llah, the twin Manifestations of God for this age.

A pact has two parts; it is made between two parties each of whom promises to act in a certain way. In the Eternal Covenant of God, His part has always been fulfilled. But how can we make sure that we fulfill our part in this mighty Covenant?

The Covenant calls upon us to recognize the Manifestation of God and to submit to His Will. We should remember that the purpose of our lives is to know and to worship God. This is explained in numerous passages of the Writings of Baha'u'llah. The short obligatory prayer is the most familiar example.

"I bear witness, 0 my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self Subsisting."

Since we can only know God through His Manifestations, we can only fulfill the purpose of our lives by recognizing His Manifestation for our day. Those of us who have had the bounty of accepting Baha'u'llah should be grateful to live in a day when all the promises of the past are being fulfilled. We should be thankful to God for having bestowed upon us the precious gift of recognizing Baha'u'llah at a time when the majority of the earth's inhabitants are unaware of His glory. Baha'u'llah says:

"This is the Day in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness."

How sad it would be if today someone were to hear the glad tidings of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah, but accept Him not and decide to follow the traditions of the past. He would join those who in every age have hoped for the coming of a Promised One, but when He appeared, have rejected Him and, unfaithful to the Eternal Covenant of God, have clung to their own superstitions.

Having accepted Baha'u'llah, we must remain constant and firm in His Faith and obey His commandments. We cannot allow the criticisms of the wayward among men to steer us away from the true path we have chosen. We must stay firm and steadfast in the Covenant. Baha'u'llah says:

"The first and foremost duty prescribed unto men, next to the recognition of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, is the duty of steadfastness in His Cause. Cleave thou unto it, and be of them whose minds are firmly fixed and grounded in God."

Our resolve to be firm in the Covenant will grow stronger if, especially in times of tests, we remember Baha'u'llah's life, both His sufferings and His extraordinary victories, and remind ourselves of the unlimited love He had for every human being. Let these words be engraved in our minds and hearts:

"The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, 0 believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye
might prosper and flourish. He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!"

1)
Unlike the previous units you have studied, this unit presents you with long passages on various themes. If this is the first time you have studied the theme, the Eternal Covenant of God, you should read the above explanation several rimes in your group, paragraph by paragraph, so that you learn to present the ideas in your own words. There are different ways you can help one another learn the content. For example, you can read a paragraph two or three rimes and then ask each other questions, the answers to which are found in the paragraph itself. Of course, learning the quotations well is especially important, for sharing quotations from the Writings will form a major pan of your consultations on any subject with newly enrolled believers. The following exercises will help you reflect on the meaning of the quotations in this section:

a. Who is the Creator of all things?

b. Ws there anything God has not created?

c. Why did God create humanity?

d. What does the word "covenant" mean?

e. Why did God make a Covenant with man?

f. Is it correct to say that if we do not love God, His love will not reach us?

g. Is it correct to say that if we do not love God, He will not love us?

h. Will God ever abandon us?

i. What is the purpose of our lives?

j. Is it possible for us to ever know the essence of God?

k. If we can never know the essence of God, what does it mean that the purpose of
our lives is to know God?

l.
What does the word "manifest" mean?

m.
Mention some of the Manifestations of God :

n.
In this Day, God's have been poured out upon humanity.
In this Day, God's has been infused into all created things.

In this Day, we should our differences, and, with perfect unity and peace,

o.
What is required of us if we are to fulfill our part in the Covenant?

p.
Is it correct to say that when we accept Baha'u'llah, we are giving up the earlier
Manifestations of God?:

q.
Why does reflecting on the sufferings of Baha'u'llah help us to remain firm in
the Covenant?:

r.
Why did Baha'u'llah consent to be bound with chains?

s.
Why did Baha'u'llah accept to be made a prisoner:

t.
Why did Baha'u'llah drink the cup of sorrow?

u.
Why did Baha'u'llah accept to be abased?

v.
Why did Baha'u'llah suffer so many afflictions?

w.
Did Baha'u'llah accept to suffer because He was powerless to do otherwise?

x.
If Baha'u'llah was not powerless before His enemies, then why did He accept to suffer?

y.
Why should we accept suffering and hardship in serving the Cause of God?

2,3)
In sharing a deepening theme with those you visit, you need to have clear in your
mind the essential points you wish to convey to them. What arc the essential ideas
contained in the above presentation? Can you make a list of them?

4)
Share with your group a story, either from the early history of the Faith or based on
recent events familiar to you, that demonstrates firmness in the Covenant. Some
stories may lend themselves to being acted out in skits

5)
As we have said before, in addition to the content of your consultations with newly enrolled believers, your own feelings and attitudes will be important factors in making your visits fruitful. It will be especially important for you to maintain a prayerful attitude throughout your consultations. As you consult with others during your visit, you should constantly be turning towards God, asking Him to illumine your mind and heart and those of everyone present. There are many phrases and sentences from prayers that you can memorize and let run through your mind. These are only a few:

"Illumine our hearts, grant us discerning eyes and attentive ears."

"0 Lord! Grant Thine infinite bestowals, and let the light of Thy guidance shine."

"Unlock the gates of true understanding and let the light of faith shine resplendent."

"Illumine, 0 Lord, the faces of Thy servants, that they may behold Thee..."
"0 our Lord! Turn our faces unto Thy merciful countenance ..."

Your e-mail address: , so that we can reply to you.

Press SUBMIT when finished :

BOOK 2 Deepening Themes SECTION 2: Eternal Covenant of God
The Creator of all things is God, the One, the Incomparable, the Self-Subsisting. He has created the heavens and the earth with its mountains and valleys, its forests, meadows, deserts, rivers and seas. God has caused every living thing to come into being. He has made man and has engraved on him His image. Baha'u'llah teaches us that the essence of God is incomprehensible to the human mind, for the finite cannot comprehend the infinite. The representations that the followers of various religions make of Him are but fruits of their own imaginations. God is not a man, and He is not a mere force spread throughout the universe. The words we must necessarily use to refer to the Source of our being, such as the Heavenly Father, the Heavenly Power, the Great Spirit, each express one of His names and attributes in the human tongue, which is totally inadequate to describe Him.
	In the Hidden Words, we read: "0 Son of Man! I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life."
According to these words of Baha'u'llah, God's love for us is the very reason for our existence. We must be ever conscious of this love which protects us, sustains us, and fills us with the spirit of life. In moments of difficulty or ease, of sadness or joy, we must remember that His love is continually being showered upon us. From the Baha'i Teachings, we leam that having created us out of His love. God has established with us a Covenant which is to last throughout the ages. The word "covenant" means pact or promise between two or more people. According to the Eternal Covenant, the All-Bountiful Creator never abandons us, and, from time to time, makes His Will and His Purpose known to us through one of His Manifestations. The verb "manifest" means to reveal, to show something that was not known before. The Manifestations of God are those special Beings who reveal to us the Word of God. They are Universal Educators who teach us how to live according to the Will of God and how to achieve true happiness. Among these Manifestations are Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Christ, Muhammad, and, of course, the Bab and Baha'u'llah, the twin Manifestations of God for this age. A pact has two parts; it is made between two parties each of whom promises to act in a certain way. In the Eternal Covenant of God, His part has always been fulfilled. But how can we make sure that we fulfill our part in this mighty Covenant? The Covenant calls upon us to recognize the Manifestation of God and to submit to His Will. We should remember that the purpose of our lives is to know and to worship God. This is explained in numerous passages of the Writings of Baha'u'llah. The short obligatory prayer is the most familiar example.
	"I bear witness, 0 my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self Subsisting."
Since we can only know God through His Manifestations, we can only fulfill the purpose of our lives by recognizing His Manifestation for our day. Those of us who have had the bounty of accepting Baha'u'llah should be grateful to live in a day when all the promises of the past are being fulfilled. We should be thankful to God for having bestowed upon us the precious gift of recognizing Baha'u'llah at a time when the majority of the earth's inhabitants are unaware of His glory. Baha'u'llah says:
	"This is the Day in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness."
How sad it would be if today someone were to hear the glad tidings of the Revelation of Baha'u'llah, but accept Him not and decide to follow the traditions of the past. He would join those who in every age have hoped for the coming of a Promised One, but when He appeared, have rejected Him and, unfaithful to the Eternal Covenant of God, have clung to their own superstitions. Having accepted Baha'u'llah, we must remain constant and firm in His Faith and obey His commandments. We cannot allow the criticisms of the wayward among men to steer us away from the true path we have chosen. We must stay firm and steadfast in the Covenant. Baha'u'llah says:
	"The first and foremost duty prescribed unto men, next to the recognition of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, is the duty of steadfastness in His Cause. Cleave thou unto it, and be of them whose minds are firmly fixed and grounded in God."
Our resolve to be firm in the Covenant will grow stronger if, especially in times of tests, we remember Baha'u'llah's life, both His sufferings and His extraordinary victories, and remind ourselves of the unlimited love He had for every human being. Let these words be engraved in our minds and hearts:
	"The Ancient Beauty hath consented to be bound with chains that mankind may be released from its bondage, and hath accepted to be made a prisoner within this most mighty Stronghold that the whole world may attain unto true liberty. He hath drained to its dregs the cup of sorrow, that all the peoples of the earth may attain unto abiding joy, and be filled with gladness. This is of the mercy of your Lord, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful. We have accepted to be abased, 0 believers in the Unity of God, that ye may be exalted, and have suffered manifold afflictions, that ye might prosper and flourish. He Who hath come to build anew the whole world, behold, how they that have joined partners with God have forced Him to dwell within the most desolate of cities!"
1)	Unlike the previous units you have studied, this unit presents you with long passages on various themes. If this is the first time you have studied the theme, the Eternal Covenant of God, you should read the above explanation several rimes in your group, paragraph by paragraph, so that you learn to present the ideas in your own words. There are different ways you can help one another learn the content. For example, you can read a paragraph two or three rimes and then ask each other questions, the answers to which are found in the paragraph itself. Of course, learning the quotations well is especially important, for sharing quotations from the Writings will form a major pan of your consultations on any subject with newly enrolled believers. The following exercises will help you reflect on the meaning of the quotations in this section:
a.	Who is the Creator of all things?
b.	Ws there anything God has not created?
c.	Why did God create humanity?
d.	What does the word "covenant" mean?
e.	Why did God make a Covenant with man?
f.	Is it correct to say that if we do not love God, His love will not reach us?
g.	Is it correct to say that if we do not love God, He will not love us?
h.	Will God ever abandon us?
i.	What is the purpose of our lives?
j.	Is it possible for us to ever know the essence of God?
k.	If we can never know the essence of God, what does it mean that the purpose of our lives is to know God?
l.	What does the word "manifest" mean?
m.	Mention some of the Manifestations of God :
n.	In this Day, God's have been poured out upon humanity. In this Day, God's has been infused into all created things. In this Day, we should our differences, and, with perfect unity and peace,
o.	What is required of us if we are to fulfill our part in the Covenant?
p.	Is it correct to say that when we accept Baha'u'llah, we are giving up the earlier Manifestations of God?:
q.	Why does reflecting on the sufferings of Baha'u'llah help us to remain firm in the Covenant?:
r.	Why did Baha'u'llah consent to be bound with chains?
s.	Why did Baha'u'llah accept to be made a prisoner:
t.	Why did Baha'u'llah drink the cup of sorrow?
u.	Why did Baha'u'llah accept to be abased?
v.	Why did Baha'u'llah suffer so many afflictions?
w.	Did Baha'u'llah accept to suffer because He was powerless to do otherwise?
x.	If Baha'u'llah was not powerless before His enemies, then why did He accept to suffer?
y.	Why should we accept suffering and hardship in serving the Cause of God?
2,3)	In sharing a deepening theme with those you visit, you need to have clear in your mind the essential points you wish to convey to them. What arc the essential ideas contained in the above presentation? Can you make a list of them?
4)	Share with your group a story, either from the early history of the Faith or based on recent events familiar to you, that demonstrates firmness in the Covenant. Some stories may lend themselves to being acted out in skits
5)	As we have said before, in addition to the content of your consultations with newly enrolled believers, your own feelings and attitudes will be important factors in making your visits fruitful. It will be especially important for you to maintain a prayerful attitude throughout your consultations. As you consult with others during your visit, you should constantly be turning towards God, asking Him to illumine your mind and heart and those of everyone present. There are many phrases and sentences from prayers that you can memorize and let run through your mind. These are only a few:
	"Illumine our hearts, grant us discerning eyes and attentive ears." "0 Lord! Grant Thine infinite bestowals, and let the light of Thy guidance shine." "Unlock the gates of true understanding and let the light of faith shine resplendent." "Illumine, 0 Lord, the faces of Thy servants, that they may behold Thee..." "0 our Lord! Turn our faces unto Thy merciful countenance ..."



Your e-mail address: , so that we can reply to you. Press SUBMIT when finished :