God Reveals Through Time

Revelation is tied to time and space, to cultures and people.

Biblical theology utilizes images, typologies, and motifs to convey information about God.

God’s redemptive plan for humanity amplifies over the passing of time.

As human history advances in the Bible, God uses people, places, and objects to reveal His redemptive plan in more intricate and detailed explanations.◦ Types◦ Motifs◦ Covenants

All of these advance toward Christ in the Old Testament while the New Testament explains their contribution to God’s redemptive plan.

Adam

NoahAbraham

MosesDavid

Exile/

Return

Christ

incarnation

Old Testament New Testament New Creation

Last Days

NewCreation

Redemptive Historical Unfolding

Abrahamic Covenant (Gen 12:1-3; 15:17-22; 17. God introduces His plan through a promised son to have a people, a nation, that will in habit the land.

Gal 3:15-18 – the seed (Singular) of Abraham turns out to be Christ, the Seed, who blesses the nations!

New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34). God will make the national covenant international to include the Gentiles and will write His external stone tablet Law of love on the internal flesh of humanity’s heart. The whole world will know Him as their God and they will ALL be His people.

Rev 21 – This covenant is finalized and realized in the New Creation (esp. vv. 3, 9-14, 22-27.

2 Samuel 7:11-16 Luke 1:32-33 Acts 2:22-31 Romans 1:1-6

2 Samuel 7:11-16

Luke 1:32-33 Acts 2:22-31 Romans 1:1-6

11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

2 Samuel 7:11-16

Luke 1:32-33 Acts 2:22-31 Romans 1:1-6

14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”

2 Samuel 7:11-16 Luke 1:32-33 Acts 2:22-31 Romans 1:1-6

32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

2 Samuel 7:11-16 Luke 1:32-33 Acts 2:22-31 Romans 1:1-6

22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.

2 Samuel 7:11-16 Luke 1:32-33 Acts 2:22-31 Romans 1:1-6

25 For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.

2 Samuel 7:11-16 Luke 1:32-33 Acts 2:22-31 Romans 1:1-6

29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.

2 Samuel 7:11-16

Luke 1:32-33 Acts 2:22-31 Romans 1:1-6

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

Don’t be afraid to explain and preach these motifs, images, types, and covenants when they apply to your passages.

In educating and reviewing Biblical Theology in your sermons, you will have greater impact by showing the connections that reveal God as He has revealed Himself.

Example: Genesis 22 – Isaac Sacrificed◦ This motif represents how God sacrificed His Son

Jesus at the center of human history.◦ Abraham was faithful to God and believed that

God could raise Isaac from the dead.◦ God showed His loving faithfulness to humanity

by sending His promised only Son to be sacrificed so that we can know Him. He then raised His Son from the dead.