Like Teachers in a School, the Prophets Guide Us Successively

Human history is rich with evidence of ongoing divine guidance, both within and beyond the Judeo-Christian writings. What if all that guidance represents one continuous outpouring from the Creator? 

The Baha’i teachings hinge on that remarkable spiritual principle, called progressive revelation. 

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It’s impossible to overstate the importance of this profound concept, which helps us understand how divine teachings evolve through successive holy messengers, and how they shape humanity’s journey towards its ultimate destiny.

The essence of Baha’u’llah’s teaching on progressive revelation is that God, through His Holy Spirit, empowers primary messengers, referred to in the Baha’i writings as manifestations of God, to bring successive, sequential divine revelations to humanity. 

Every Prophet a Powerful Teacher

Just as the teachers in a school educate their students step by step and grade by grade, these holy messengers bring knowledge and spiritual maturation to humanity. Baha’is believe, then, in all the founders and prophets of the world’s great Faiths – Abraham, Krishna, Moses, Zoroaster, Buddha, Christ, Muhammad, and most recently the twin messengers who founded the Baha’i Faith, the Bab and Baha’u’llah.

Each divine revelation, the Baha’i teachings explain, brings a spiritual springtime of renewal to the world. To continue that seasonal analogy, every new springtime gives way to a spiritual summer of the flowering of the new revelation, inevitably followed by a spiritual autumn and winter as that prophet’s influence declines. When a manifestation’s original teachings no longer inspire and animate humanity, the regenerative power of another manifestation appears, continuing the eternal cycle of the Creator’s guidance. As Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’u’llah’s son and successor, said in a speech in Paris:

As the rays of the sun bring the light and warmth of the sun to the earth, giving life to all created beings, so do the Manifestations bring the power of the Holy Spirit from the Divine Sun of Reality to give light and life to the souls of men.

Behold, there is an intermediary necessary between the sun and the earth; the sun does not descend to the earth, neither does the earth ascend to the sun. This contact is made by the rays of the sun which bring light and warmth and heat.

The Holy Spirit is the Light from the Sun of Truth bringing, by its infinite power, life and illumination to all mankind, flooding all souls with Divine radiance, conveying the blessings of God’s Mercy to the whole world. The earth, without the medium of the warmth and light of the rays of the sun, could receive no benefits from the sun.

This unique teaching recognizes that divine guidance is not static but unfolds progressively over time. 

Each manifestation of God brings a set of spiritual and social teachings tailored to the needs and capacities of humanity at a given stage of its development. This concept acknowledges the dynamic nature of divine revelation, allowing for continuous spiritual growth and evolution.

How Does Religion Evolve?

Throughout history, divine teachings have evolved alongside human consciousness, language, and conceptual frameworks. Just as a child’s understanding deepens as they grow and mature, humanity’s comprehension of spiritual truth expands with each successive manifestation. This evolution enables us to “stand on the shoulders of giants,” building upon the insights and laws of those who came before us.

Each manifestation of God not only brings teachings tailored to their respective eras, but also emphasizes specific aspects of spiritual growth. Those new teachings then become instrumental in guiding humanity toward its ultimate destiny, fostering the unfoldment of successive civilizations.

Abraham

Abraham, known as the father of monotheism, ushered in an era of spiritual awareness, with prophecies that he would be the father of many nations, with descendants numbering like the stars of heaven or the sand of the seashore. His emphasis on faith and devotion laid the groundwork for the expansion of monotheistic beliefs and the growth of religious communities.

Moses

But some of his descendants became enslaved to Pharaoh, and Moses was sent to them to rescue them from slavery and deliver laws that would help them establish a society based on principles of justice, morality, and social order. His teachings provided a framework for ethical living and communal harmony, guiding his followers through a period of consolidation as they sought to embody the divine principles outlined in the Torah. In the book of Deuteronomy, Moses outlined this principle:

Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

Jesus Christ

But after ancient Israel’s decline, various states of slavery, captivity, and then occupation by the Romans, Jesus brought a message of love, forgiveness, and spiritual transformation, ushering in a new era of spiritual expansion. His emphasis on compassion and unity inspired a wave of spiritual renewal as individuals sought to deepen their relationship with God and embody the teachings of the gospel. This gospel was to be “preached unto all the nations” prior to the establishment of the Kingdom of God. Indeed, the knees of future kings bowed to him, receiving their crowns in his name. The Baha’i writings explain that if it were not for Jesus, the world would not even know who Moses was, illustrating this ongoing process of progressive revelation. The fact that both books – the Old Testament and the New Testament – are traditionally bound together amply illustrates the principle of progressive revelation.

Muhammad

Muhammad, following in the Abrahamic tradition, brought the revelation of the Quran, guiding humanity towards social justice, compassion, and submission to the one God’s will. His emphasis on community and ethical governance fostered a period of consolidation, as the warring Arab tribes united under Islamic influence, launching a civilization that then flourished and spread across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.

The Bab and Baha’u’llah

Centuries later, the Bab, heralding the dawn of a new age, prepared the way for the coming of Baha’u’llah, offering spiritual guidance and renewal to a world in need of divine intervention. He came to Persia, known today as Iran, at a time when both Islam and the Ottoman Empire were in decline. His teachings sparked a period of rapid spiritual expansion as individuals eagerly embraced the new message. Baha’u’llah, the most recent manifestation of God, but certainly not the last, revealed the teachings of unity, peace, and human oneness, guiding humanity toward its collective maturity. 

Baha’u’llah’s emphasis on the oneness of God and the unity of humanity ushered in a new era of spiritual expansion as individuals from diverse backgrounds all over the world came together in pursuit of a common vision for the future. The Baha’i Faith emphasizes an outward-looking effort to “consort with the followers of all religions” to foster unity in diversity. Simply and powerfully, Baha’u’llah revealed “God grant that the light of unity may envelop the whole earth, and that the seal, “the Kingdom is God’s,” may be stamped upon the brow of all its peoples.

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These alternating eras of expansion and consolidation, brought about by the emphasis in the dispensation of each manifestation, reflect an overarching divine plan for the gradual unfoldment of human potential. They underscore the cyclical nature of spiritual growth, allowing religious teachings to continually regenerate and renew each spiritual springtime.

Krishna, Zoroaster, and the Buddha

The Baha’i Faith also reveres the spiritual wisdom of Krishna, the ancient teachings of Zoroaster, and the profound insights of Buddha. These manifestations of God were also divine prophets and teachers, sent to provide guidance for humanity’s spiritual journey. That holy pantheon of great spiritual teachers also includes Indigenous figures revered by African tribes and the Native peoples of the Americas, Australasia, and beyond. 

Religion Is One

Rather than viewing religions as separate and distinct, this profound Baha’i principle of progressive revelation invites us to see them as interconnected chapters in a single unfolding historical narrative, each contributing to humanity’s spiritual evolution. 

The Baha’i teachings underscore the universality of divine revelation and the interconnectedness of human spirituality across time and space by honoring the contributions of these innumerable manifestations.

As we contemplate the concept of progressive revelation, let us embrace the richness of divine guidance throughout history, recognizing the love, the kindness, and the common purpose underlying all religious traditions. We can move towards a more unified and harmonious world, guided by the light of divine wisdom, by understanding and appreciating the contributions of each successive messenger of God.