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Day of the Covenant
Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 4:10 am
by HuangRan
Why did the Master gave November 26, 181 days after the ascension of Bahá'u'lláh, as the Day of the Covenant? Why it was November 26?
Thanks.
Re: Day of the Covenant
Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 2:28 am
by Jonah
Hi, see if this encyclopedia article answers your question:
http://bahai-library.com/buck_celebrations_day_covenantBest, -Jonah
Re: Day of the Covenant
Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 11:02 am
by MontanaDon
The usual answer is that Abdu'l-Baha did not want His observance to take away from the observance of the Declaration of the Bab and therefore chose a day 6 Gregorian months from the Ascension of Baha'u'llah, the day on which He assumed the role of Center of the Covenant.
However - - - -
Why then did He not pick the 29th instead of the 26th? Or a date that is 182 or 183 days from May 29th? I don't know and have only ever gotten hems and haws when I asked.
Don C
Re: Day of the Covenant
Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 4:29 pm
by brettz9
Perhaps because 360 is the biblical count for a year, and 180 is half of that.
Per Bill Sears' Thief in the Night, p. 15:
The axiom of 360 days for a year or a time was derived from the following verses:
1. Genesis 7:11—The waters of the flood came on the 17th day of the second month.
2. Genesis 8:4—The waters abated and ceased on the 17th day of the seventh month.
3. Genesis 7:24:—The waters prevailed upon the earth 150 days.
From the 17th day of the second month to the 17th day of the seventh month was exactly five months. These five months took exactly 150 days. Therefore, they were five months of 30 days each. This, the scholars agreed, would make a year of 360 days, or 12 months of 30 days.
Therefore, a day in calculating prophecy was a year of 360 days.
Re: Day of the Covenant
Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 9:50 pm
by MontanaDon
OK, but the Day of the Covenant is 181 days after the Passing of Baha'u'llah, not 180.
Don C
Re: Day of the Covenant
Posted: Thu Nov 20, 2014 9:54 pm
by brettz9
No clear mid-way point with even numbers anyways.