Grounding the Example in the Larger Narrative of God's Revelation
God's revelation is understood as an uncovering or a bringing to light of what was previously hidden or only obscurely perceived [1]. This divine self-disclosure has occurred in various ways and at different times, as noted in Hebrews 1:1 [1, 10]. The Scriptures are not merely a record of this revelation but are considered the revelation itself in written form, intended for the accurate preservation and propagation of truth [1].
The concept of revelation is foundational to understanding God's interaction with humanity. For instance, the creation of the world is presented as an act of God, laying its foundation and forming it, as seen in Genesis 1:1 and Nehemiah 9:6 [2, 8]. This initial act of creation reveals God's power and sovereignty. Further revelation unfolded through specific individuals and events. To Noah, the quarter of the world where the Messiah would belong was revealed; to Abraham, the nation; to Jacob, the tribe; to David and Isaiah, the family; to Micah, the town of nativity; and to Daniel, the exact time [10]. This demonstrates a progressive unfolding of God's plan.
The New Testament emphasizes that the highest form of revelation is given through the Son of God [10]. The book of Revelation itself is described as an "apocalypse" or an "unveiling" of things that had been veiled, serving as a "manifesto of the kingdom of Christ" and a "travelling manual of the Church" [11]. It contains numerous cross-references to earlier biblical texts, connecting its visions to the broader narrative of God's work from creation to the end times [2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9]. For example, Revelation 4:11, which speaks of God's worthiness to receive glory, honor, and power, cross-references Genesis 1:1 and Exodus 20:11, linking the worship of God to His role as Creator [2].
The apostle Paul, in Galatians, highlights God's prescient wisdom in Scripture, noting that "all points liable ever to be controverted, are, with prescient wisdom, decided in the most appropriate language" [12]. This suggests that the entire biblical narrative, from its earliest accounts to its prophetic conclusions, forms a cohesive revelation of God's character and purposes. The examples of faith in Hebrews 11, such as those of Abel, Enoch, and Noah, are presented as illustrations of this ongoing revelation and humanity's response to it [13, 14]. The author of Hebrews encourages believers to move beyond elementary teachings, such as repentance from dead works and faith toward God, to maturity, grounding their understanding in the larger narrative of God's revealed truth [3].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Revelation — An uncovering, a bringing to light of that which had been previously wholly hidden or only obscurely seen. God has been pleased in various ways and at different times (Heb. 1:1) to make a supernatural revelation of himself and his purposes and plans, which, under the guidance of his Spirit, has been committed to writing. (See WORD OF [532]GOD.) The Scriptures are not merely the "record" of revelation; they are the revelation itself in a written form, in order to the accurate presevation and propagation of the truth. Revelation and inspiration differ. Rev”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Revelation 4:11 cross-references: Genesis 1:1, Exodus 20:11, Deuteronomy 32:4, 2 Samuel 22:4, 1 Chronicles 16:28, Nehemiah 9:5, Job 36:3, Psalms 18:3, Psalms 29:1, Psalms 68:34, Psalms 96:7, Proverbs 16:4, Isaiah 40:26, Isaiah 40:28, Jeremiah 10:11, Jeremiah 32:17, John 1:1, Acts 14:15, Acts 17:24, Romans 11:36, Ephesians 3:9, Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2, Hebrews 1:10, Revelation 5:2, Revelation 5:9, Revelation 5:12, Revelation 10:6, Revelation 14:7”
- Hebrews “Hebrews 6:1 (Rotherham) — Wherefore, dismissing the elementary discourse concerning the Christ, unto maturity, let us be tending, not, again, a foundation, laying down—of repentance from dead works, and of faith towards God,”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Revelation 10:1 cross-references: Genesis 9:11, Exodus 16:10, Leviticus 16:2, Psalms 97:2, Psalms 104:3, Isaiah 19:1, Isaiah 54:9, Lamentations 3:44, Ezekiel 1:28, Daniel 7:13, Daniel 10:6, Matthew 17:2, Luke 21:27, Acts 26:13, Revelation 1:7, Revelation 1:15, Revelation 4:3, Revelation 5:2, Revelation 7:1, Revelation 8:2, Revelation 8:13, Revelation 9:13, Revelation 10:5, Revelation 14:14”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Revelation 12:1 cross-references: 2 Chronicles 32:31, Psalms 84:11, Psalms 104:2, Isaiah 49:14, Isaiah 54:5, Isaiah 60:1, Isaiah 60:19, Isaiah 61:10, Isaiah 62:3, Hosea 2:19, Zechariah 9:16, Malachi 4:2, Matthew 12:38, Matthew 24:30, Mark 13:25, Luke 21:11, Luke 21:25, John 3:29, Acts 2:19, Romans 3:22, Romans 13:14, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Galatians 3:27, Galatians 6:14, Ephesians 5:25, Ephesians 5:32, Titus 2:11, Revelation 1:20, Revelation 11:19, Revelation 12:3, Revelation 15:1, Revelation 21:14, Revelation 21:23”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Revelation 13:10 cross-references: Genesis 9:5, Exodus 21:23, Isaiah 14:2, Isaiah 26:21, Isaiah 33:1, Jeremiah 15:2, Jeremiah 43:11, Lamentations 3:26, Habakkuk 2:3, Matthew 7:2, Matthew 26:52, Luke 18:1, Luke 21:19, Colossians 1:11, Hebrews 6:12, Hebrews 10:36, Hebrews 12:3, James 1:2, James 5:7, Revelation 1:9, Revelation 2:2, Revelation 2:19, Revelation 3:3, Revelation 3:10, Revelation 14:12, Revelation 16:6”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Revelation 11:3 cross-references: Genesis 37:34, Numbers 11:26, Deuteronomy 17:6, Deuteronomy 19:15, 1 Chronicles 21:16, Esther 4:1, Job 16:15, Isaiah 22:12, Lamentations 2:10, Daniel 12:7, Matthew 18:16, Luke 24:48, John 3:5, John 3:27, John 15:27, Acts 1:8, Acts 2:32, Acts 3:15, Acts 13:31, 1 Corinthians 12:28, 2 Corinthians 13:1, Ephesians 4:11, Revelation 1:5, Revelation 11:2, Revelation 12:6, Revelation 13:5, Revelation 19:10, Revelation 20:4”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Early Rising — The world in general -- Ge 1:2. The dry land as divided from waters -- Ge 1:10. God Created. -- Ge 1:1; Ne 9:6. Laid the foundation of. -- Job 38:4; Ps 102:25. Formed. -- Ps 90:2. Spread abroad. -- Isa 42:5; 44:24. Suspended in space. -- Job 26:7. Supports. -- Ps 75:3. Establishes. -- Ps 78:69; 119:90. Enlightens. -- Ge 1:14-16; Jer 33:25. Waters. -- Ps 65:9; 147:8. Makes fruitful. -- Ge 1:11; 27:28. Inspects. -- Zec 4:10. Governs supremely. -- Job 34:13; Ps 135:6. Reigns in. -- Ex 8:22; Ps 97:1. Shall be exalted in. -- Ps 46:10. Is the Lord's -- Ex 9:”
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge “Revelation 21:27 cross-references: Leviticus 13:46, Numbers 5:3, Numbers 12:15, Psalms 101:8, Isaiah 35:8, Isaiah 52:1, Isaiah 60:21, Ezekiel 44:9, Joel 3:17, Zechariah 14:21, Matthew 13:41, 1 Corinthians 6:9, Galatians 5:19, Ephesians 5:5, Philippians 4:3, Hebrews 12:14, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 13:8, Revelation 17:4, Revelation 20:12, Revelation 20:15, Revelation 21:8, Revelation 22:14”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 1 (introduction): THE HIGHEST OF ALL REVELATIONS IS GIVEN US NOW IN THE SON OF GOD, WHO IS GREATER THAN THE ANGELS, AND WHO, HAVING COMPLETED REDEMPTION, SITS ENTHRONED AT GOD'S RIGHT HAND. (Heb 1:1-14) at sundry times--Greek, "in many portions." All was not revealed to each one prophet; but one received one portion of revelation, and another another. To Noah the quarter of the world to which Messiah should belong was revealed; to Abraham, the nation; to Jacob, the tribe; to David and Isaiah, the family; to Micah, the town of nativity; to Daniel, the exact”
- Revelation (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Revelation 1 (introduction): 1TITLE: SOURCE AND OBJECT OF THIS REVELATION: BLESSING ON THE READER AND KEEPER OF IT, AS THE TIME IS NEAR: INSCRIPTION TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES: APOSTOLIC GREETING: KEYNOTE, "BEHOLD HE COMETH" (Compare at the close, Rev 22:20, "Surely I come quickly"): INTRODUCTORY VISION OF THE SON OF MAN IN GLORY, AMIDST THE SEVEN CANDLESTICKS, WITH SEVEN STARS IN HIS RIGHT HAND. (Rev. 1:1-20) Revelation--an apocalypse or unveiling of those things which had been veiled. A manifesto of the kingdom of Christ. The travelling manual of the Church for the G”
- Galatians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Galatians 3:8: And--Greek, "Moreover." foreseeing--One great excellency of Scripture is, that in it all points liable ever to be controverted, are, with prescient wisdom, decided in the most appropriate language. would justify--rather, "justifieth." Present indicative. It is now, and at all times, God's one way of justification. the heathen--rather, "the Gentiles"; or "the nations," as the same Greek is translated at the end of the verse. God justifieth the Jews, too, "by faith, not by works." But he specifies the Gentiles in particular here, as it was their ”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 11:4: The apostle, having given us a more general account of the grace of faith, now proceeds to set before us some illustrious examples of it in the Old Testament times, and these may be divided into two classes: - 1. Those whose names are mentioned, and the particular exercise and actings of whose faith are specified. 2. Those whose names are barely mentioned, and an account given in general of the exploits of their faith, which it is left to the reader to accommodate, and apply to the particular persons from what he gathers up in the sacred story. We have here those”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 11:32: The apostle having given us a classis of many eminent believers, whose names are mentioned and the particular trials and actings of their faith recorded, now concludes his narrative with a more summary account of another set of believers, where the particular acts are not ascribed to particular persons by name, but left to be applied by those who are well acquainted with the sacred story; and, like a divine orator, he prefaces his part of the narrative with an elegant expostulation: What shall I say more? Time would fail me; as if he had said, "It is in vain to ”