One way to answer this question is to refer to Baha’u’llah And The New Era, pg. 2, 1937 Edition:
“All down the ages, whenever the spiritual life of men has become degenerate and their morals corrupt, that most wonderful and mysterious of men, the prophet, makes his appearance. Alone against the world, without a single human being capable of teaching, of guiding, of fully understanding him, or of sharing his responsibility, he arises, like a seer among blind men, to proclaim his gospel of righteousness and truth. Amongst the prophets some stand out with special pre-eminence. Every few centuries a great Divine Revealer—a Krishna, a Zoroaster, a Moses, a Jesus, a Muḥammad—appears in the East, like a spiritual Sun, to illumine the darkened minds of men and awaken their dormant souls. Whatever our views as to the relative greatness of these religion-founders, we must admit that they have been the most potent factors in the education of mankind. With one accord these prophets declare that the words they utter are not from themselves, but are a Revelation through them, a Divine message of which they are the bearers.”
Another way to answer this question is from Promulgation Of Univeral Peace pg 110, 111.
“These holy manifestations or prophets of God are as mirrors which have acquired illumination from the Sun of Truth, but the Sun does not descend from its high zenith and does not effect entrance within the mirror. In truth this mirror has attained complete polish and purity until the utmost capacity of reflection has been developed in it, therefore the Sun of Reality with its fullest effulgence and splendor is revealed therein. These mirrors are earthly whereas the reality of divinity is in its highest apogee. Although its lights are shining and its heat is manifest in them, although these mirrors are telling their story of its effulgence, the Sun nevertheless remains in its own lofty station; it does not descend, it does not effect entrance, because it is holy and sanctified. The Sun of Divinity and of Reality has revealed itself in various mirrors. Though these mirrors are many, yet the Sun is one. The bestowals of God are one; the reality of the divine religion is one. Consider how the one and same light has reflected itself in the different mirrors or manifestations of it.”
Quotes from https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433081894341&view=1up&seq=13
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