Apocalypse Unsealed: chapter 21
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Chapter Twenty-One
THE HOLY CITY
1 And I was a new heaven and a new earth: for the
first heaven and the first earth were passed away;
and there was no more sea.
2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down from heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
for her husband.
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying,
Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he
will dwell with them, and they shall be his people,
and God himself shall be with them, and be their
God..
4 And God whall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,
nor crying, neither shall there by any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.
The new heaven and the new earth are the new spiritual and
material Laws. There is no longer the sea of doubt and
disbelief. In verse 2, new
Jerusalem,* the Bride, is *The new Jerusalem also
contrasted with Babylon, the has a literal
harlot. In verse 3, the Tabernacle confirmation. See <21:1-2
of God is the new Revelation #8>
descended upon man through the
human Temple, Baha'u'llah. God will dwell with men through the
Universal House of Justice, giving them unerring spiritual
guidance. "O ye beloved of God! O ye children of the Kingdom!
Verily, verily the new heaven and the new earth are come. The
holy City, new Jerusalem, hath come down from heaven on high in
the form of a maid of heaven, veiled, beauteous, and unique, and
prepared
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for reunion with her lovers on earth"--'Abdu'l-Baha_/1 <21:1-7
#1>.
Verse 4 promises the end of spiritual death and pain to those who
live by the new Law._/16
5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I
make all things new. And he said unto me, Write:
for these words are true and faithful.
6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and
Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto
him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of
life freely.
7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I
will be his God, and he shall be my son.
In verse 6,* the Manifestation *See Chapter 22, Note 3.
identifies Himself as the Alpha and
Omega (9), Baha'. Verse 7 explains that those who accept the new
Revelation and overcome false teachings will be sons of God.
They will inherit the Kingdom.
8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and
sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have
their part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone: which is the second death.
In this verse are listed those who will be condemned to "death"
and "deprivation." Among them are those who are afraid to accept
the new Manifestation even though they may believe in the truth
of His words.
9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels
which had the seven vials full of the seven last
plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I
will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.
10 And he carried me
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away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and
shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of the heaven from God,
11 Having the glory of God: and her light was like
unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper
stone, clear as a crystal.
The Bride, the renewed Word of God, is to be married to the Lamb,
the Covenant, in the Person of 'Abdu'l-Baha. The Bride is not a
widow.
In verse 11, the name of Baha'u'llah, the Glory of God, is given
for the second time. The jasper stone, already mentioned in 4:3,
symbolizes the oneness of humanity, being many colors but
especially having the hue of the heart. Baha'u'llah's Mission
includes especially the unification of mankind. It was a common
device in antiquity to symbolize principles and attributes
through the use of precious stones that have analagous
characteristics._/2
12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve
gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names
written thereon, which are the names of the twelve
tribes of the children of Israel:
13 On the east three gates; on the north three
gates; on the south three gates; and on the west
three gates.
14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations,
and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the
Lamb.
We recall the the zodiacal signs also bear the names of the
Twelve Tribes. A Tablet of
'Abdu'l-Baha* clarifies the meaning *<21:10-17 #1>
of these verses. The purport of
that Tablet is briefly summarized below:
There are twelve zodiacal
constellations. According to the
theories of the astrologers,Å the ÅThe theories of the
world of physical possibilities is astrologers are not to be
taken literally. See
_Some Answered Questions_,
pp. 284-6.
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determined by the dawning place of the phenomenal sun shining
through those constellations. Similarly "the Sun of Truth
manifests and pours forth His bounty in twelve constellations of
holiness." The twelve constellations of holiness have been
manifested in different Ages as the twelve sons of Jacob, the
twelve chiefs of tribes with Moses, the twelve Apostles of Jesus,
and the twelve Imams of Islam. (_Some Answered Questions_, p. 67
<11 #1>.)
The Heavenly Jerusalem, the sacred Law of God, therefore has
Twelve Gates or Stars of Guidance through which advancing souls
enter into the City of God. The angels at the gates stand for
the power of the confirmation of God. Therefore, each one of the
holy souls in the twelve constellations of holiness has received
the power of Divine confirmations. Since, symbolically, the
Twelve Gates surround the whole universe, all existence is under
the shadow of those souls, and these Gates are the foundation of
the City of God, the Divine Jerusalem.
Verse 14 explains that the names of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus
are written upon the foundations of the Holy City. This means
that the "perfections, glad-tidings, virtues and high attributes"
of those holy souls will be
manifested in the new Jerusalem.* *See Joshua 4; Matthew
19:28.
Ezekiel_/3 gives further meaning to the twelve gates and the
implications of the design. The twelve gates, three for each of
the four cardinal directions, are intended as a reminder to the
children of Israel of their iniquities; for through the grace of
God, the Holy City, new Jerusalem, the renewed Word of God, is to
be broadcast from the Holy Land to which they will be returned
from every quarter of the earth.
15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to
measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the
wall thereof.
"In this Greatest day the rod of the plant and the rod of iron
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are changed into a rod which is of pure gold and is from the
endless treasuries of the Kingdom of God."--'Abdu'l-Baha
<21:10-17 #1>
16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is
as large as the breadth: and he measured the city
with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length
and the breadth and the height of it are equal.
Although many geometrical structures can have equal length,
breadth and height, 'Abdu'l-Baha explains <21:15 #1> that a
pyramidal shape is intended for the Holy City. The shape and
dimensions of the Holy City reflect the attributes of the new Law
of God. The pyramid is the firmest and most enduring figure
found in nature. Like the pyramids of Egypt, a figure of this
shape will abide through tha Ages. And so it is with the pure
Word of God. A civilization based upon Divine Principles will be
prosperous and secure, creating endless blessings for its
inhabitants.
Although it is not clear from the Text exactly how the Holy City
is measured, since the City is correlated with the twelve signs
of the invisible zodiac, we infer
that the 12 thousand furlongs* *Stadia in RSV. 12,000
measure the perimeter of the City. years is the duration of
The only dimension other than the the present "Kappa," the
perimeter that can be readily "Age of Divine
measured with a rod is the slant Enlightenment" in Hindu
edge. We therefore infer that the chronology.
slant edge of the pyramid is taken
as the height of the City.
The geometry of the Holy City takes the shape of figure 25. This
particular pyramid fits perfectly into a hemisphere representing
the Celestial Pavilion, that is, the new "heaven," the new Law of
the spiritual realm. Since the furlong is an earthly measure,
the pyramid itself represents the new "earth," that is, the new
Law of the material realm. The base of the pyramid corresponds
to the square earth (figure 3) with its four corners
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representing the four "pillars." Since the twelve doors in the
wall surrounding the City represent the invisible zodiac, that
is, the twelve constellations of holiness that are the
entranceways into the Kingdom, the apex of the pyramid represents
the Apex of the world <21:1-2 #2> and points the way to the open
door in heaven. The 3 doors in each wall not only correspond to
the 4 annual seasons, but also to zodiacal seasons. The last
season, beginning at the age of Taurus (calf or ox) and ending at
the start of Aquarius (man), covered a period of about 6500
years, roughly equal to the traditional duration of the Adamic
Cycle.
. ... .
. / | \ .
. / | \ .
. / | \ .
/ | \
. / | \ .
/ | \
. / | \ .
. / | \ .
. / | \ .
. | .
d | d
. d | d .
. d | d . d=door
. . .
. ..... .
GEOMETRY OF THE HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM
ARCHETYPAL VALUES:
Area of the base = 9
Perimeter of each triangular face = 9
Area of each triangular face = 9
Total area of the four triangular faces = 9
Total area of the pyramid = 9
Volume of the pyramid = 9
Perimeter of the wall = 9 [?]
Figure 25
Since each edge of the pyramid is 3000 furlongs it can be
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shown that each of the following parameters of the pyramid has an
archetypal value of 9:_/4, 11
The area of the base
The perimeter of each triangular face
The area of each triangular face
The total area of the four triangular faces
The total area of the pyramid
the volume of the pyramid
Thus the pyramid contains the number 9, the number of Baha',
six times. A seventh clue is given in verse 17 in which the
archetypal value of the wall is given as 144 cubits,_/5 which
also has an archetypal value of 9. It should be understood that
the true perimeter of the wall is 13,331 furlongs (or stadia),
which is thousands of times greater than 144 cubits, giving the
seeker a hint that the units of measure are not to be taken
literally.
That the dimension of the Holy City contains hidden meanings is
made clear by the emphasis placed upon them in Ezekiel and
Zechariah._/6 Ezekiel_/7 gives the dimsnsions of the Holy City
as 4,500 measures on each side and 18,000 measures around the
perimeter. Both of these numbers have archetypal values of 9.
The dimensions of the altar_/8 are given as 12 cubits on each
side, which give archetypal values of 3 for each side and 9 for
its area. The altar is purified for seven days._/9 The seven
days symbolize the seven Days of the Lord that precede the
Advents of the Bab and Baha'u'llah._/10
17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and
forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a
man, that is, of the angel.
This verse alludes to the "royal gift of the cubit," a custom of
antiquity in which the forearm of the priest-king was designated
as the cubit, that is, the unit of length that would prevail as
the harmonizing Principle or "Neter."_/5 The Manifestation, as
both man and angel, is the Perfect Man and the Only Son of God
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during His Dispensation. All things are to be measured by
comparison to Him or His Exemplar.
The number 144 has many meanings,_/5 among them being its
archetypal value Nine, the Seal of Baha'. The "cubit" being an
"arm," the 144 also represents the twice-72 "working arms," the
primal points or guardians who will nurture and protect the
Celestial Garden, the new Jerusalem. (Verse 7:4)
Since the cubit is a "spiritual measure," its use is appropriate
as a measure of the new heaven. In astrological symbolism, the
144 cubits measure the spiritual attributes emanating from the
heavenly realm that will enrich, guide and protect the
inhabitants of the Holy City. In past Ages, each gate of the
invisible zodiac emanated about six attributes._/17 In the new
Age, twice-six attributes are to emanate from each gate.
The dimensions of the Holy City are suggestive of the Baha'i
place of worship, the
Mashriqu'l-Adhkar,* the essential *Pronounced
features being prescribed by Mash-Reck-ol-Az-car,
Baha'u'llah as having a dome, nine meaning "Dawning Place of
sides and nine doors. (See figure God's Praise."
26.) It can be shown with a little
mathematics_/11 that, if we allow one measure for each of the
nine sides, then the following seven dimensions will each have
archetypal values of 9:
The perimeter of the wall
The area of the wall
The area of the dome
The volume of the dome
The area of the floor
The total area of the exterior
The total enclosed volume.
In the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar, the 9 symbolizes the highest unity,
<g_10> being the greatest single digit number [in the
conventional decimal numbering system]. The 9 doors represent
the unity of man and the essential unity of the Divinely revealed
Faiths, notably the seven listed in Chapter 1 and the Babi and
Baha'i Faiths.
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PLAN VIEW PERSPECTIVE VIEW
|--1--| ...
. .
. d . . .
d d
. . . .
d d . .
. . . .
| |
| . . |
d d | | . | |
. . | | | | |
d . d | | |
d | | | d
d | d
d= door
GEOMETRY OF THE BAHA'I MASHRIQUL'-ADHKAR
ARCHETYPAL VALUES:
The perimeter of the wall = 9
The area of the wall = 9
The area of the dome = 9
The volume of the dome = 9
The area of the floor = 9
The total area of the exterior = 9
The total enclosed volume = 9
Figure 26
18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper:
and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were
garnished with all manner of precious stones. The
first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire;
the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the
seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a
topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a
jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
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The material of the wall is jasper, symbolizing the Oneness of
the World of Humanity, since it comes in all hues but especially
the hue of the human heart. The City is pure gold, clear as
glass, meaning that only purity and heavenly virtues are to be
found inside, and that the knowledge of god will be as clear as
glass. The foundations of the wall of the City are garnished
with all sorts of precious stones, symbolic of the Twelve Basic
Principles_/12 of the City of Baha', the World Order of
Baha'u'llah. <21:19-20>
[This description of the meanings of the twelve stones is a
pilgrim's note; its provenance is given at the end of
<21:19-20 #1>.]
The first foundation stone is jasper. Jasper means the principle
of the Oneness of the World of Humanity.
The second foundation stone is sapphire._/12 It is true blue,
the blue of the dome of heaven. The sapphire is the color of
faith, inspiration, loyalty, and truth and means the principle of
the Independant Investigation of Truth.
The third foundation stone is chalcedony._/12 It is white, the
color of purity, reflecting all seven colors (seven Faiths)
equally well. The chalcedony means the principle that The
Foundation of All Religions is One, since the origin of all
religions is pure, and a brother to every other religion, and all
truth is one.
The fourth foundation stone is emerald. It is green, the color
of harmony and unity, since it harmonizes with every other color.
It is also the color of immortality and humility. The emerald
means the principle that Religion Must be the Source of Unity.
The fifth foundation stone is sardonyx._/12 It is a stone of two
layers, one white and one red. The sardonyx symbolizes the two
in one, and means the principle of The Equality of Man and
Woman._/13
The sixth foundation stone is sardius._/12 It is red or brown
according to the way it is held; and so it is with science and
religion. The sardius means the principle of the Agreement of
Science and Religion.
The seventh foundation stone is chrysolite. It is exquisitely
clear green and is the material of the Chrysolite Tablet. It
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symbolizes absolute sincerity and truthfulness, purity and
selflessness. Only when our hearts are pure and free from every
form of prejudice and superstition can they become the Chrysolite
Tablet whereon may be engraved our thoughts of our brother man.
The chrysolite stands for the principle of the Elimination of All
Prejudice.
The eighth foundation stone is beryl. It is a bluish-green. The
blue symbolizes the blue of faith and loyalty to our brother man.
The green symbolizes humility and unity. The color of the beryl
symbolizes the harmonius blending into one symmetrical whole of
these attributes. These attributes established in the hearts of
men will lead to universal peace. The beryl stands for the
prindiple of Universal Peace.
The ninth foundation stone is
topaz.* It is a golden yellow, the *The oriental topaz
color of the sun, and symbolizes (Greek: _topazos_) is
the light of knowledge and the intended.
glory of wisdom which will follow
when universal education is established in the world. The topaz
means the principle of Universal Education.
The tenth foundation stone is chrysoprasus. It is a clear green
that embodies truthfulness, justice, sincerity and purity. These
are requisites necessary for the Spiritual Solution of the
Economic Problem.
The eleventh foundation stone is jacinth. Like one form of the
jasper, it is a clear red, the universal color, the hue of the
heart. The heart of one race can understand the heart of another
only when it can speak the same language. The jacinth means the
principle of an Auxiliary Universal Language.
The twelfth foundation stone is amethyst. It is violet and
symbolizes spiritual light, reverence, healing, serenity and
poise. The tribunal of all nations must be as the ultra-violet
rays of the sun for the healing of the nations, and it must seek
spiritual light in all reverence that it may fulfill its high
calling, imparting a sense of security, poise and serenity to the
hearts of all humanity.
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The amethyst means the principle of a World Tribunal or
Parliament of Man.
21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every
several gate was of one pearl: and the street of
the city was pure gold, as it were transparent
glass.
22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God
Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
No temple means that no churches or synagogues are needed in the
City._/14 <21:22-23 #1>
23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of
the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did
lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.
24 And the nations of them which are saved shall
walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth
do bring their glory and honour into it.
25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by
day: for there shall be no night there.
26 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the
nations into it.
27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any
thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh
abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are
written in the Lamb's book of life.
No sun or moon means that no
priestly hierarchy will be meeded
in the City.* The reason is that *Compare Isaiah 60:11,
Baha'u'llah, the Glory of 19-20.
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God, and the Lord of the Covenant, will lighten the City, while
'Abdu'l-Baha, the Center of the Covenant, will be its light.
<22:3> No night means that there will no longer be spiritual
darkness or ignorance.
In verse 23, the name of the new Manifestation, Baha'u'llah, the
Glory of God, is revealed for the third and last time in the
Apocalypse. <21:23 #2> John follows the ancient formula of
repeating the name thrice to emphasize its superlative nature.
The notion that "three" represents the best or greatest has
extremely ancient roots. The Greek word _trismegistos_ means
thrice-greatest or superlatively great. The Latin word _ter
felix_ means thrice-happy or happiest. The Pantocrator is
thrice-holy. (Verse 4:8) The concept was probably based on the
fact that 3 was the first "complete" number, having a beginning
(1), a middle (2), and an ending (3).
The practice of repeating 3-times was, and still is, used to
emphasize a prayer or sacred ritual._/15 The formula was adapted
by practitioners of the occult arts in carrying out their rituals
and incantations. (Third time's a charm!) Samuel Taylor
Coleridge used it in his masterpiece _Kubla Khan_, the closing
lines of which might best be applied to Baha'u'llah:
"And all should cry, Beware! Beware!
His flashing eyes, his floating hair!
Weave a circle round him thrice,
And close your eyes with holy dread,
For he on honey-dew hath fed,
And drunk the milk of Paradise."
Notes to Chapter Twenty-One
1. _Baha'i World Faith_, p. 350. See also Isaiah 54:15,
65:17-19; Galatians 4:27.
2. Ref. 1, pp. 205, 207, 208-211, 217, 232-235; Ref. 17.
3. Ezekiel 48:30-35, 43:10-11.
4. Let L be the length of each edge of the pyramid. Then
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The area of the base = Lý
The perimeter of each triangular face = 3L
The area of each triangular face = û(3Lý/4)
The total area of the triangular faces = û(3Lý)
The total area of the pyramid = (1 + û3)Lý
The volume of the pyramid = û{(2/6)Lý} x L
These parameters will have an archetypal value of 9 if Lý and 3L
have an archetypal value of 9. One third of all integers meet
this requirement. For a discussion of the computational methods
in antiquity, see References 53, 56.
Many authorities believe that each edge of the Holy City is
intended to be 12,000 furlongs. Regardless of which assumptions
are used, most of the parameters of the Holy City will have an
archetypal value of 9.
The cube 12,000 furlongs on each edge is also interesting. Its
dimensions that have archetypal values of 9 are: the area of
each wall, 144 million square furlongs; the combined area of all
six walls, 864 million square furlongs; the volume enclosed by
the cube, 1,720,000 million cubic furlongs; the length of the
twelve edges of the cube, 144,000 furlongs. The Hebrew Holy of
Holies was a cube (I Kings 6:20) as is the Muslim sacred Kaaba.
"Kaaba" comes from the Arabic _Ka'b_ (cube).
Three of the dimensions of the cube are suggestive of the
divisions of the Yugas, ages of the world, a sacred Hindu
chronological system. Some authorities define the Yugas as
follows:
432,000 years = Kali Yuga
864,000 years = Dvapara Yuga
1,296,000 years = Treta Yuga
1,728,000 years = Krta Yuga.
The sum of these numbers is 4,320,000 years, the Maha Yuga, the
period in which a new type of man is born. 8,640,000,000 years,
the longest period of time reckoned in the ancient East, is known
as "one day and night of Brahma." Furthermore, there are 86,400
seconds in a 24 hour day.
432 and 864 bound the Greek Phrygian mode (Chapter 15, Note 9).
432 is the literal value of "new name" KáINoN ONoæá, while 864
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is the literal value of "Jerusalem" Iîpoçåá^Hæ. New name 432 is
three-times 144; Jerusalem 864 is six-times 144.
Michell (Reference 9) points out that a sphere with a perimeter
of 14,400 cubits is a model of the earth with a scale of 1 foot
per hundred miles. In his calculations he lets a cubit equal
1,728 feet, the approximate length of the royal cubit of Memphis,
Egypt. That the ancient priests of the Middle East had a precise
knowledge of the dimensions and shape of the earth has been
suggested by various scholars. (Ref 6, 40, 62) There is also
evidence to suggest that the modern English system of measure
(inch, foot, acre, barrel, etc.) derives from ancient Egyptian
systems of measure.
The pyramid of the new Jerusalem and its enclosing hemisphere
suggest a possible meaning of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Although the Great Pyramid is not enclosed in a physical
hemisphere, its dimensions and orientation are highly suggestive
of the harmonization of the spiritual and material Laws. Since
the perimeter of its base is 2ã times its altitide, the base
effectively "squares the circle," symbolic of the marriage of the
material Law (the square) and the spiritual Law (the circle).
There are other curious facts about the Great Pyramid
worth noting:
Its faces are oriented exactly North, South, East, and West,
corresponding to the four zodiacal seasons.
Since most authorities agree that the Great Pyramid was built
about 2500 BC, it was probably built about two Platonic months
prior to 1844 AD, the beginning of the Baha'i Era.
It is located at very nearly 30ø E longitude and 30ø N latitude.
Thus if one extends the southern slant edges of the Pyramid along
their great circles, they will intersect the equator near the
Greenwich prime meridian and near the meridian at 60ø East
longitude. In the two Platonic months since the Pyramid was
built, the equinoxes have precessed the same amount, that is,
2/12 x 360ø = 60ø.
The sum of the diagonals of the base of the Great Pyramid in
pyramid inches is very nearly equal to the number of years in a
Platonic year.
According to the so-called "Pyramid prophecies" (Ref 65, 66, 67)
two very important dates built into the Great Pyramid are 1844
AD, corresponding to the "great step," and 1953 AD, corresponding
to the far wall of the king's chamber. The importance of 1844
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has already been noted. 1953 is important in Baha'i history as
the launching point of the Baha'i Ten-year Crusade and to what
'Abdu'l-Baha announced and the "Inception of the Kingdom of God
on Earth." (_God Passes By_, p. 351)
Many authorities (e.g., Ref 6, p. 190) give the apothem of the
Great Pyramid as 89 units and its half-base as 55 units. The sum
of these numbers is 144 while their ratio is the Golden Number è.
We recall that the base is related to the altitude through ã (see
above). Thus it is possible to show that the Pyramid's
dimensions imply that
6 x èý ÷ 5 x ã
The error in this astonishing approximation is only about one
part in 65,000. Besides the sheer mathematical beauty of this
unexpected relationship, viewed numerologically, one possible
interpretation of the equation is that the crossing of the
mediation number 6 and èý (the Perfected Logos) results in the
marriage (crossing) of Man 5 and the harmonized Law ã.
The square of a number is its "perfection." Thus èý is the
perfected form of the Golden Number. Among many other
interesting properties of è,
èý = è+1
that is, the perfection of è results from the fusion (+) of è
with the Monad (1).
5. See also Chapter 7, Note 11; Chapter 15, Note 9. The 144
cubits of verse 17 is measured relative to the Perfect Man as was
the Temple in Revelations 11:1. 144 is the first number in the
Fibonacci series to have an archetypal value of 9.
The wording of the verse suggests that 144 contains the name of
the Manifestation. Indeed it does, since it is the fusion of 135
and 9, that it, it contains both Glory (Kabod) and Baha'.
The writer also investigated the possibility that 144 is the
literal value of Baha'u'llah in Koine Greek. For this purpose,
e.g., the possible spelling BHááO^^áá, which as the value 144,
was considered. Without divulging the full nature of the
problem, suffice it to say that there are serious difficulties in
attempting to transliterate this particular Arabic word into
Koine. As far as this writer is concerned, the question remains
unsettled.
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144 is the harmonizing Principle of Neter (see below) of the
regular 10-sided figure called the decagon. (See figure 27.)
.
. 144ø .
. . [picture of a ten-pointed
star omitted.]
. .
. . STAR-DECAGON
. OR
DECAGON DECAGRAM
The decagram contains the angles 36, 72, 108, and 144
degrees.
Figure 27
Like the Pentagram, the Decagram is highly prolific in the Golden
Number.
It will be remembered that the decagon is the primary recurrent
pattern of the DNA helix. (Part One, NOte 22; Chapter 7, Note
10.) Among the ancient Pythagoreans, the decagon symbolized the
World, the macrocosm, the perfection and consummation of all
things. (Ref 61, p. 115) The inscribed 10-pointed star-decagon
may symbolize the double Manifestation, the Bab and Baha'u'llah,
their individual Pentagrams (Ch 7, Note 11) being interwoven in
perfect harmony throughout the ages.
The "Neter," explained with great profundity by Schwaller de
Lubicz in Reference 62, is intimately connected with the cubit.
Indeed, the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs for Neter (Principle),
cubit and arm are closely related. (See figure 28.)
The Neter can be considered as the seed that summarizes all the
harmonic possibilities of a perticular "rhythm." It is the
"Principle," the "Platonic Idea" from which emanate the
particular manifestations latent in the Principle.
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______ [bent arm with [bent arm with
|____ | hand held hand slightly
| | straight] cupped]
| |
| | | | | |
| | _____________| | --__________| |
|_| ðð______________| ðð--____________|
Neter Arm Cubit
Figure 28
Extrapolating from the logic of Schwaller de Lubicz, the number
Five (especially through its derivative the Golden Number è), is
the Neter that summarizes biological growth, etc.. Six is the
Neter that summarizes the balanced, stable growth of a crystal, a
new Faith, etc.. Nine is the Neter that summarizes finality,
judgement, the unification of man, etc.. The Golden Number è is
the Neter that summarizes the Logos, the creative Word, etc..
The number 144 is the Neter that summarizes the structure of the
new Jerusalem, etc.. ã (3.14159) is the Neter that summarizes
the squaring of the circle, the harmonization of the material and
spiritual Laws, etc..
The concept of the Neter suggests connections between the various
realms of the ancient cosmogony. For example, the Neters of
certain primary polygons correlate with tones of the basic
Hindu-Greek musical scale (Ch 15, Note 9), that is:
No. of Musical
Neter Polygon Sides Tone
72 golden triangle 3 D
90 square 4 b-flat
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108 pentagon 5 G
120 hexagon 6 f
135 octagon 8 e-flat
144 decagon 10 D
Since the 144 cubits of verse 17 is redically inconsistent with
the other dimensions of the Holy City, some have suggested that
the 144 cubits is the thickness and/or height of the wall
surrounding the City. Even if one chooses this hypothesis, the
number 9 is nonetheless indicated by this dimension and remains a
redundant clue.
Since the number 144 = 12x12, the mediation number in the new Age
will be 12 instead of 6. Curiously enough, 12 seems to be the
mediation number appropriate to the modern world. On the "flat
earth" of the Piscean Age, it requires 6 circles to fit perfectly
around the perimeter of a central circle of the same radius.
Analogously, on the modern spherical earth of 3 dimensions, it
requires 12 spheres to fit perfectly around the surface of a
central sphere of the same radius.
6. Zechariah 2:1-5; Ezekiel 43.
7. Ezekiel 48:33-35.
8. Ibid. 43:16.
9. Ibid 43:26.
10. Ibid 43:27.
11. These results follow from the "circular" property of 9, viz.,
that the product of any number multiplied by 9 will have an
archetypal value of 9.
12. This interpretation of the twelve foundations stones was gien
to Shahnaz Waite by 'Abdu'l-Baha and should be considered a
"pilgrim's note." The listing of the Twelve Principles of the
Baha'i Faith is not wholly arbitrary. Roughly speaking, twelve
Principles have been used to expound the Faith by Baha'u'llah and
His Successors. However, the number can be varied slightly by
elaborating, combining, or subdividing some of the Principles.
(See and compare _God Passes By_, pp. ix, 216-9, 281-2; _Paris
Talks_, pp. 135-166; _The Promulgation of Universal Peace_, pp.
449-50. The Twelve Basic Principles corresponding to the twelve
stones in Rev 21:20 can be found in several issues of _Star of
the West_ beginning with the March 20, 1920 issue, Volume 10, pp.
358-9. <21:19-30>
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In the Apocalypse, as in many ancient writings, the Twelve is a
sacred number. The modern reader of the West usually finds
ancient number symbolism labored and of doubtful validity.
Nevertheless, the Jungian school os psychiatry claims that number
symbolism still persists as a numinous component of our
collective unconscious. (References 1, 2)
The RSV and KJV differ slightly in their translations of some of
the twelve foundation stones. The KJV is a precise and literal
translation of the original Greek.
The sapphire is also found in Exodus 24:10 and Ezekiel 1:26. The
chief priests of ancient Egypt wore necklaces of the image of
truth and justice made of sapphire.
13. Ancient Egyptian paintings sometimes show the woman as white
and the man as red.
14. The Jewish word for temple was either "beth Jehovah" or
"hecal Jehovah," meaning a residence or palace of Jehovah. (See
I Kings 6:11-19.) In the history of Palestine, the Temple was
periodically rebuilt in times of peace and destroyed in times of
war. For example, Solomon's Temple was destroyed by
Nubuchadnezzar; Zerubabbel's Temple was profaned by Syrians and
Romans; Herod's Temple was destroyed by Titus. Thus the Temple
became a symbol of man's alienation from God. "No temple" as
used in 21:22 symbolizes the fact that in the City of Baha, man's
closeness to God will no longer be dependant upon the turns of
capricious fortune. (See Reference 12, p. 107.)
Because a destruction of Jerusalem and the physical Temple had
occurred in 70 AD, the tragic event was fresh in the minds of
John and the early Christians when the Apocalypse was written.
What could be more comforting than a "new Jerusalem" that is not
physical and therefore needs no physical Temple?
The ancient notion that God's home could be constructed by man at
some prominent spot overlooking one's own city was a comforting
and reassuring thought. Among primitive and uneducated peoples,
safety, harmony, and successful crops depended primarily upon
careful attention to ritual, sacrifice, and a virtuous
priesthood. The occasional destruction of the physical temple
and the priesthood by capricious and irrational forces was a
deeply traumatic experience. The modern dream of the Jewish
people to
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rebuild their Temple is exemplary of their ancient quest for
identity and closeness to God.
In another sense, the Temple symbolizes the human tendency to
indulge in fantasy. The "temple" need not be a physical
structure, (See, e.g., Malachi 2:8; Mark 7:5-8.) and the modern
world is filled with inhabitants whose fantasy-temples are flimsy
intellectual constructions that are poorly suited to withstand
the onslaughts of scientific, historical, and sociological
advances. Nor will the narrow prejudicial views that formed the
foundations of the ancient intellectual temples be firm enough in
a modern technological world that is no longer flat. "No temple"
from this viewpoint therefore means that the inhabitants of the
new Jerusalem will not be required to build intellectual
structures that are in disharmony with physical, intellectual,
and spiritual realities. The progression of mankind away from
temple worship, whether the temple be physical or intellectual,
represents an evolutionary advance as profound as that symbolized
by Adam's partaking of the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil.
The English word "temple" comes from the Latin _templus_, meaning
a place "cut off." The concept of the ancient temple, and,
indeed, of most temples down to the present day, was borrowed
from the ancient Egyptians, and consisted of a holy place or
sanctuary where the great body of worshipers assembled, and the
cell of Holy of Holies, into which only the priests were allowed
to enter. Thus the word "temple" as used in 21:22, to some
extent, implies a cutting off of direct communion with God and
the requirement of a priest as intermediary between man and his
Creator. In the World Order of Baha'u'llah this concept has been
replaced by the institution of the Mashriq'l-Adkhar, meaning a
"Dawning Place of God's Praise." This structure, (sometimes
inaccurately called a temple) is without a priesthood, without
separated chambers of "degrees of holiness," without even a
pulpit, and is a place in which God is worshipped without
ceremony or ritual. In due time, the Mashriq'l-Adhkar is to be
supplemented by accessory institutions of social service in its
vicinity, such as "an orphanage, a hospital, a dispensary for the
poor, a home for the incapacitated, a hostel for travelers and a
college for the study of arts and sciences."--(_God Passes By_,
p. 350) Although, ultimately, these structures will be built in
each Baha'i community, the most sacred
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of the Baha'i institutions is the Nineteen-Day Feast, observed on
the first day of each Baha'i month, and usually held in private
homes. The Feast provides for community prayer and reading from
the Sacred Writings, consultation on Baha'i affairs, and social
association of the friends. <21:22-23 #1>
15. Ref. 12, p. 102.
16. The explanation of the elimination of spiritual "death" and
"sorrow" in the new Jerusalem is best left to professional
psychiatry. Drawing on the experience and theories of the
Jungian school (Ref 2,64), it would seem that many practitioners
of the established religions suffer from the absence of
meaningful symbols. A "dead" religion is one in which "living"
inner meaning has been replaced by "dead" outward formalism. The
decay of a religion from meaning to formalism is probably
inevitable as the pure Truths of the Manifestation's Utterance
become increasingly confused and obscured by successive overlays
of theological speculation. Also, the "idle imaginings" of well
meaning but humanly limited theologians are often the cause of
spiritual suffering. In the specific case of Christianity, for
example, the evolutionary development of the theory of the
"original sin" by early theologians ranging from Paul to
Augustine has resulted in especially painful consequences for the
Christian psyche. In this connection we refer to the "sick soul"
as defined by William James in _The Varieties of Religoius
Experience_. James cites the example of the morbid melancholy of
John Bunyon: "... my original and inward pollution, this was my
plague and my affliction. By reason of that, I was more
loathsome in my own eyes than was a toad; and I thought I was so
in God's eyes too. ..."
17. Astrologers describe the attributes of a sign of the
phenomenal or visible zodiac in such terms as
masculine or feminine
diurnal or nocturnal
commanding, melancholy, phlegmatic or sanguine
earth, airy, fiery or watery
hot or cold
dry or wet
We recall that there were 72 Names in the Divided Name of YHWH.
(See Chapter 7, Note 10.) One wonders if these Names were
intended to correspond to 6-times-12 attributes emanating
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from the spiritual or invisible zodiac. This theory would also
explain why the 72 Names were subdivided into 4 groups of 18;
that is, to correspond to the 4 cardinal directions of the
zodiac.