Old Testament verse explored in Bahai context in "The Half-Inch Prophecy"

"The Half-Inch Prophecy" focuses on the following prophecy of the Old Testament: "In that day also he shall come even to thee from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain." (Micah, 7:12)

In William Sears' version of the King James Bible this prophecy measures exactly one half an inch, but it contains a world of information.

In this book, Sears makes the point that Micah's prophecy refers to Bahá'u'lláh, the Founder of the Bahá'í Faith, who, his followers believe, is the Promised One of all peoples, races and religions. The author demonstrates, segment by segment, that it describes the enforced journeys of Bahá'u'lláh as an Exile and Prisoner from Persia to the Holy Land.

"…he shall come even to thee from Assyria…"

This happened. Bahá'u'lláh was first exiled from Tehran to Baghdad. He lived there for 11 years and there made the historic and momentous "Declaration of His Mission" to his companions that he was the Promised One of all Ages. Baghdad is the site, which once was the heart of that "ancient Kingdom of Assyria" in the days of Babylon.

"…from the fortified cities…"

After Baghdad, Bahá'u'lláh was exiled to the first fortified city, Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire, now Istanbul in Turkey. After a brief stay in Constantinople, Bahá'u'lláh, was exiled to Adrianople (Edirne) still in the Ottoman Empire. From there he was exiled to the "fortified city" of Akká in the Holy Land. Emperor Napoleon I had tried to conquer this fortress with his cannon but failed.

"…from the fortress even to the river…"

Bahá'u'lláh did exactly that. After some years in a cell of the fortress, he was allowed to go to a small island garden circled by part of the river Na'mayn.

"…from sea to sea…"

This also happened. When Bahá'u'lláh was exiled to the first fortified city, he crossed the Black Sea from the Port of Sámsun and landed in Constantinople on the Bosporus. When he was exiled to Akká, He crossed the Mediterranean Sea to the Port of Haifa.

"…from mountain to mountain."

This also came true. When Bahá'u'lláh was in Baghdad, he withdrew for two years to the mountains of Kurdistán in Iraq. His favorite retreat was Mount Sar-Galú. Bahá'u'lláh's historic journey brought him at last to the Holy Land at the foot of Mount Carmel.

Bahá'u'lláh fulfilled numerous prophecies of the Bible. But in his book Sears focuses only on Micah.

"But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord…shall be exalted above the hills; and the people shall flow onto it." (Micah 4:1)

At the present time the administrative and spiritual Bahá'í World Center is located on Mount Carmel, which includes the Universal House of Justice.

Inge Grunwaldt is a Bahai who lives in Clemson.