Page 4 - Biblical Theology Textbook - masters

In knowing this ahead of time, why would God then create the stars, planets, and specifically Earth and
populate it with plants, animals, and mankind? There must be a plan! God’s plan is described as the
mystery which is revealed progressively to mankind.

Matthew 13:34-35 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them
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without a parable. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in
parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

Romans 16:25-27 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching
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of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has
now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according
to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith

Romans 11:34 tells us that no person can know the mind of God. We cannot understand the concept of
eternity! We cannot imagine the mind of God who spoke all of what we see created with tremendous
complexity. So, the only way we can remotely begin to understand God’s mind is for Him to reveal His
plan to us. And He has done in four major ways:

1. Through His Creation.
The creation of God is His handiwork. Just as a work of art
reveals the heart and mind of an artist, so the creation displays
the nature of God. Romans 1:20 says, “For his invisible attributes,
namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly
perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that
have been made.” The verse continues to inform us that every
man is without excuse before God, because while God reveals Himself by what He made, man continues
to rebel against that knowledge.

2. Through History
The things that God revealed to humanity were not all given at once. His
revelation was given in stages. This is known as progressive revelation.
Progressive revelation means that God did not unfold His entire plan to
humanity in the Book of Genesis or, for that matter, in the entire Old
Testament. The Old Testament traces the history of mankind, and
specifically the story of redemption, from the first days of creation
through the history of God’s chosen people, Israel. It concludes with the
fulfillment of hundreds of prophecies about the coming Messiah. The Old
Testament revelation, though accurate, is incomplete. The fullness of certain teachings cannot be found
in the Old Testament. Progressive revelation does not mean to say that the Old Testament is somehow
less true than the New Testament. The progress was not from untruth to truth - it was from less
information to more full information.

Here is an example of what God did in the Old Testament to help Israel understand unfolding revelation.

In Leviticus 23, God gave to Israel seven feasts in which to observe. He gave them the time of year they
were to be observed, how long, and for what purpose they observed them. Each one of these feasts
were given by God to foretell events in the future.

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