Progressive Revelation

The term “progressive revelation” refers to the fact that truth and doctrine are revealed gradually throughout the Scripture, with later texts adding to and clarifying what was revealed before. This is one of the unique characteristics of the Word of God—it is deeply interconnected, and there is a powerful relationship between the earlier and later texts.

When we consider that the Bible has about 40 human authors, beginning with Moses who lived about 1,500 years before Jesus Christ and ending with the apostle John, AD 90, and yet we see complete harmony and a strong connection throughout, we are compelled to recognize that there is One Author above all these human authors who inspired them all to record one harmonious, inerrant, and purposeful message to humanity.

Here are several examples of how the New Testament sheds light on certain details of the Old Testament, not distorting or changing them, but adding to them and completing the mosaic of the Holy Scripture:

• Angels were involved in the giving of the Law (Acts 7:53; Gal. 3:19; Heb. 2:2)
• Michael the archangel disputed with the devil over the body of Moses, but he did not dare to pronounce judgment against him (Jude 9)
• Enoch prophesied about the coming judgment of the Lord upon the ungodly, in the presence of angels (Jude 14-15)
• The rock from which water came followed Israel in the wilderness (at least for some period of time) (1 Cor. 10:4)
• The names of the Egyptian magicians who opposed Moses were Jannes and Jambres (2 Tim. 3:8)

I would especially like to highlight one of our all-time-favorite passages of Scripture at GFC:

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)

This statement does not appear in any of the four Gospels. Yet, judging by the way Paul uses it, he expects and assumes that his listeners all knew this phrase once spoken by Jesus Christ. Paul speaks of these words as something that was already in the memory of his listeners. Why? Because this saying was well known and frequently quoted. It was so widely known that none of the Gospel writers considered in necessary to include it in their accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. But that does not make this statement any less significant! Since the apostle Paul mentions it, and it has been documented for us in Scripture, we confidently accept it as an authoritative and true statement once spoken by Jesus Christ.

My encouragement to all of us is this: Be attentive and scrupulous students of Scripture! Notice the details. Pray that God would open your eyes to the beauty, interconnectedness, and most importantly, the practical nature of the Holy Scripture! And do not forget that it is more blessed to serve, to give, and to sacrifice for the Lord and for the good of those around us than simply to receive! This is at the very heart of the Gospel:

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

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"Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!
For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.
Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!"
Psalm 37:1-7