In my opinion, however, there is no need to dwell on any other aspect of the Baha’i faith until the claim that Baha’u’llah is the second coming of Christ is adequately explored; questioned and defended. If everything else that the Baha’i faith taught was true, it would not matter. I would hold Jesus Christ to the same standard. If Jesus has not been resurrected and has not defeated sin and death then nothing else that he said matters. We are to be pitied among all men.
We have touched upon this subject and when I challenged the Baha’i interpretation of the first 30 verses of Matthew 24, which in a nutshell claims that Jesus’ second coming will be subtle, obscure, and many people will, or have missed it, just as they missed his first coming, I never received a response to my specific points…
Steve,
. This is the first that I read of your request concerning Matthew Chapter 24, which I think should include the whole chapter, and probably the next.
. Please let us stay on track awhile and explore the claims of the Baha’is that Baha’u’llah was the One prophesied in the Bible because, as you say, if He was not, then nothing else matters. Nothing!
. As we know, there have always been many “false Christs” and Messiahs, both in Jesus time and since, including Baha’u’llah’s time, when many made such claims, even unto to today, such as Jim Jones, David Koresh, Sun Myung Moon, etc, etc…
. As there is much information on this to consider, let us begin where we can, from a few verses of Matthew, where he says
1 "Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”
2 "“Therefore when you see the Abomination of Desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),”
- that He “is” coming
- That He refers us to Daniel
Also, specifically, Matthew 25:13, which can be paired to Matthew 24:36
. and Mark 13:32/33
Matthew 24:36 “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”
Mark 13:32-33 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come."
Matthew 25:13 ““Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
So a couple of things stand out here.
1 Jesus says that “we” don’t know the day and hour of His coming.
2 Jesus says that “He” does not know the day and hour of His coming.
3 He tells us to “Watch”
. On the third point, He says to us “Watch” in many places in the Bible
Hebrews 9:28
. “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”
It would appear to me that He will appear to those who fulfill the conditions of His admonition to “Watch!”
and to “look for Him”
He will appear.
2 Peter 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief”
Rev 3:3 "Therefore if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come to you. "
Thes 5:2 “For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.”
When do we find out that a thief has come in the night? After he has come and gone. At least to those who are not watching, for they are asleep.
24:40 “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”
24:41 “Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”
From this, we can conclude that one was “Watching” and one was not, in each case.
Steve, please forgive me for stopping here, but it is nearly 1 am… zzzzzzz
. (to be continued…)
…(I asked a question at the end, which I would love you to answer please)