Normally, we don’t start reading a book at the last page but the first. In His Story, however, I think there is great benefit in this approach. For that reason, Lesson One is not the Book of Genesis but the Book of Revelation.
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The Book of Revelation (sometimes called the Apocalypse) was written by the Apostle John at the end of the first century. Perhaps you have read it, heard a sermon, or tried to figure out what it means. I admit, it may seem odd to introduce a study of the entire Bible with one of the most mysterious (not to mention controversial) books! However, there is one important reason I think it is best to approach His Story this way. It has to do with what I said in the introduction about Level Two Knowledge. Recall my example of jigsaw puzzles. I don’t know how you put them together, but I always start by propping up the box cover and studying the whole picture. I try to see the different colors with special attention on the borders (that’s usually what I try to put together first).
This is what the Book of Revelation provides. It is the “box cover” of His Story, revealing the big picture not only of time but also eternity. No wonder it is so filled with mystery and often confusing. It isn’t just foretelling events in history (as many have imagined). It is giving us a glimpse into eternity—like peeking behind the stage curtain in a theatrical story.
The Eternal Glory and the Covenant of Redemption
Though it is impossible for finite creatures like us to imagine eternity and the absence of time, to fully appreciate the Book of Revelation it is necessary that we at least begin with the assumption of such a possibility and acknowledge that God himself is outside of time. This is important when we consider the grand story of redemptive history because that story was conceived in the mind of God before all time. The Bible itself gives only hints about this eternal reality, but since it is the context in which Revelation is written, we should begin there also. This diagram is an attempt to visually depict what was “going on before” creation and even “before” the Covenant of Redemption was decreed. I explore this theme in more detail in an article introducing Trinitarian theology. But since it figures so prominently in the Book of Revelation, I will just reference it here.
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I call the eternal (prehistoric) relations and inseparable operations of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit the “eternal glory,” using the phrase Jesus himself used to describe it (John 17:5). The relationship that forms the foundation for salvation is known in Reformed theology as the Pactum Salutis (Covenant of Redemption)—a voluntary, eternal agreement between the Father (as the Covenanting Party), the Son (as the Covenant Head and Surety), and the Holy Spirit (as the Agent of Application). It is the prototype of all the historic covenants we read about in the Bible.
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Though theologians typically describe this eternal state of affairs as Pactum Salutis (Covenant of Redemption), I think it is useful to think of it as a kind of covenant relationship, referenced by Jesus as "glory we shared before creation." Obviously, the triune God does not need a covenant of redemption or grace in the same way fallen creation does. Even so, they had an eternal bond of peace that in many ways reflects the elements of covenant structure. I'll say more about that in a moment.
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If you are curious about the Spirit’s role, I will refer you to the research of Meredith Kline, especially his Images of the Spirit. Kline demonstrated that the Holy Spirit has a much more prominent role in redemptive history than most of us realize, especially notable in the Old Testament. We tend to miss his presence because he appears in “images” like clouds, wind, and fire, and we are inclined to assume those are just figures of speech.
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As I will describe in Lesson Two, what we typically identify in the Bible as the divine covenants—with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David—were outworkings in time and space of the eternal plan and glory of the triune God. That happens to be our destiny as well, and this is how the Book of Revelation concludes but also frames all of His Story.
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I mentioned in the introductory article that we cannot understand the meaning of anything unless we have some knowledge of the structural framework behind it. I believe that is why a firm grasp of covenants and the ancient covenant structure is so vital to knowledge of the Bible. I suspect the majority of those who try to read the Bible have never tried to do so in its structural, covenantal context. Yet, this is why the Book of Revelation is like a golden key to unlock the meaning of the entire Bible, from Genesis to the end. The Book of Revelation gives us, first and foremost, the “big picture” of God, his purpose in history, and how we as creatures fit into that grand story of redemption. Since the ancient covenant structure is so essential in understanding the Bible, let me remind you of the framework:
1. Preamble (1:1-20): Introducing the King of Kings
The first section in ancient covenant documents, called the preamble, typically introduced the participants of the covenant. Most often the participants included the king or one of his officials (suzerain) and the king’s subjects (vassals). In the Bible, the covenant declarations often begin with a reference to God himself, the initiator of the covenant. This is evident in the opening verses of the Book of Revelation.
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In Revelation, we are not simply meeting another king, but rather the “King of kings and the Lord of lords.”Covenant scholars frequently use the term “transcendent” to describe the covenant king. “Transcend” means to “rise above” and suggests the preeminence and “otherness” of the sovereign. The language is significant, particularly so in light of the covenant requirements that follow later. The King has the right to command and the authority to rule. His transcendence means that any personal relationship he might have with his subjects requires a covenant of grace and mediation.
Even before creation, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit lived and loved in eternal glory. I am particularly captivated by Meredith Kline’s description of the Holy Spirit’s operation in that glory. We are mistaken if we view the Spirit of God as a mere spectator of this glory. Even as the preamble of a covenant introduces the King in his transcendence, so the Holy Spirit’s operation in eternity has been the manifestation of divine glory. Another covenant term is “witness.”Throughout His Story, God’s glory is witnessed in a multitude of events and images, bearing testimony to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For example, “the heavens declare (literally, “bear witness”) the glory of God and the firmament shows his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).
2. History (2:1-3:22): The Story of the King and his Covenant Representatives
The second section of ancient structure is called the historical prologue. It traces the story of the king’s rule and that story establishes his authority and control in concrete, historical terms. It also references that kingdom rule in the particular stories of the king’s representatives. His transcendence puts him in a unique position in the kingdom, above all others. Because of that, his relationships with his subjects must be “mediated” through his representatives. In the Old Testament, this covenant history is told in the context of mediators like Adam, Noah, Abraham, and David.
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In the Book of Revelation, it is not their stories but the history of the “new covenant” mediator, the Church, typified in the seven churches. This is how we should understand Revelation 2–3, where God addresses his covenant words to the seven churches. The seven churches are representative of all churches in the present age. The church has the primary task of being God’s representative of his covenant. The histories of the churches reveal that some have been faithful in their mission but others have not. Is the failure of the churches a cause for despair? Does it mean that the covenant purpose has been thwarted? We’ll answer that question in the next section.
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I said a moment ago that one of the best biblical descriptions of the prehistoric glory of the triune God is in John 17. I have written about that passage in another article, particularly the term "perichoresis.) I won’t repeat that here other than to suggest that in covenant structure, perichoresis is in some ways reflected by the second section: history. Obviously, the term “history” means something very different when describing timeless eternity, where there is technically no beginning, middle or ending, only "now." Even so, “history” is a “story” and there may be some sense in which the "story" of eternity --the story Jesus called "glory"-- is analogous to the second section of the ancient covenant structure. It is, after all, the story of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the glory they shared.
3. Covenant Requirements and Sanctions (4:1-22:5): God’s “Covenant Lawsuit”
In section three of the ancient structure, the requirements and stipulations of the covenant are detailed. Then, in section four, the sanctions or consequences for obedience and disobedience are listed. Though we can distinguish the purpose of the sections logically, they are often intermingled. That is especially true in Scripture and, as we will see, in John’s vision.
The seven churches mentioned in Revelation 2,3 should be understood in a covenant context. These churches had covenantal duties related to their gospel mission in the world. They were covenant mediators, commanded to be faithful witnesses. Though some were faithful, others were not. In this way, the story of the churches (and by extension all churches) is a continuation of the ancient story of God's people. Thus, Adam was the first mediator. He was called to be faithful to God’s commands. Of course, he failed by eating the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:1-7). All the rest of the stories in the Bible tell the sam story. Not only Adam, but Noah, Abraham, Moses and David failed in the task as mediators. Paul used this framework for understanding the Old Testament when he described the two Adams. The “first Adam” in Eden is contrasted with the “last Adam”--Jesus. The first man Adam was a living being but it was the last Adam (Jesus) who became a life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45). This ihistorical and interpretive framework also applies to our understanding of Revelation 4–22. For here we find the consequences of all that covenant failure throughout history. The accumulation of thousands of years of failure and disobedience of God's people drove John to tears:
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I saw, in the right hand of him who sat on the throne, a book written inside and outside, sealed shut with seven seals. 2 I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book, and to break its seals?” 3 No one in heaven above, or on the earth, or under the earth, was able to open the book or to look in it. 4 Then I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look in it. (Revelation 5:1-4)
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Why did John weep? In this vision, he realized how all God’s mediators had failed in their obedience. He knew the consequences of this failure was judgment—the sanctions of the broken covenant. No one was found worthy. No one had been faithful to the covenant requirements.
If you have studied the Book of Revelation, you may know there are vastly different interpretations of the meaning of most of the chapters in Revelation. I can't discuss the controversies here so I will simply state my understanding. I believe when we view Revelation in the larger context of covenant structure the meaning becomes clear. Beginning in Revelation 6 we find a “covenant lawsuit” being brought by God against his creation. That is because of the universal failure to perfectly obey the requirements of the covenant itself. And, as in any covenant, failure means judgment. The terrifying visions in 6-22 --trumpets, bowls, angels--are covenant sanctions.
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Many students of Revelation have noted a precise literary structure in this entire section. It is familiar in the Old Testament and known as “chiastic structure.”
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Chiastic structures are literary frameworks found throughout the Bible. In Revelation, the chiastic structure is used to describe God’s “covenant lawsuit” (see Hosea 4:1-3). The covenant lawsuit is the official “court case” brought by the sovereign king against his disobedient subjects. It is where the legal case for the sanctions is presented in a judicial court. In Revelation, John sees these sanctions as a series of curses--natural and supernatural judgments fulfilling the terms of the covenant itself.
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In chiastic structure, there is always an "apex" which is the central message of the whole. In Revelation the apex is chapter 12 and the mysterious vision of the woman, the seed, and the dragon. These images would be very familiar to John and his readers from their understanding of the Garden of Eden story (Genesis 3:15). They would know that the woman in John’s vision connects the story of Eve to all of God’s people; the dragon further connects the garden serpent in Eden to the all forces of evil in the world today. Finally, they understood that the seed (or offspring) of the woman in the vision pictured the promised deliverer--the Lord Jesus himself. In this way, Revelation 12 summarizes the entire story of the Bible from Genesis forward. That is why these visions describe the central message not only of the Book of Revelation but all of redemptive history. The other visions in this section are also set in chiastic parallels and to understand one we must compare it to the corollary as shown in the diagram.
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We cannot appreciate fully the covenant structure of Revelation unless we also understand something about sanctions themselves. In ancient times it was understood that covenants were binding obligations and that if the covenant requirements were broken, sanctions were inevitable. In other words, justice and the very integrity of the kind meant that a penalty must be paid. Generally, among the pagan covenants. that meant the judgments and curses would fall entirely upon the offenders.
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But there was something extraordinarily different hidden in the covenant God made with his people. It was implicit in the first mention of the covenant of grace to Adam and progressively unfolded in the successive revelations of that covenant. It was the provision of "substitution." Though justice required sanctions and punishments by someone, it did not preclude the king himself paying the price. To Adam, God said he would provide a seed that would crush the head of the serpent. In other words, the seed (we know as Jesus) would take upon himself the penalty for Adam's disobedience so that justice was served yet Adam blessed. This is what the covenant of grace is all about. It is the central theme of John's vision pictured in that throne room scene where no one is found worthy to open the book, but one steps forward who is! "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
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4. Continuity (22:6-21): The Consummation of God’s Covenant
The final section of Revelation points to the fifth section in ancient structure. Continuity or covenant succession described how the personal relationship formed and established in the covenant could be sustained in coming generations. In Revelation, this is pictured as the consummation and creation of the new heaven and new earth.
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If you have read or studied Revelation in the past, you may have understood it very differently. But my purpose in this introduction to the Bible is to show how the Book of Revelation has one overarching purpose: to paint the “big picture” of time and eternity itself and show how a covenant plan, conceived in eternity past before the creation of the world, unfolded in perfect rhythm over thousands and thousands of years because of the covenant faithfulness of God. Our appreciation of this message is sadly diminished if we imagine God gave it simply to satisfy our curiosity about particular events in history. The opening verses indicate that it was written to encourage and strengthen those who were suffering and weary of the adversities in this old world.
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It is very fitting that so much of the imagery in the final chapters is drawn from the opening chapters of Genesis. The new heavens and new earth are made necessary because of what took place in Genesis 3 of the old heaven and earth. Yet, the story of history concludes with Christ, the faithful Mediator, fulfilling the requirements of the covenant and ushering in the eternal dwelling of God with His people.
