“Following the breadcrumbs” scattered throughout the Bible to investigate the mysteries in Revelation shows them fitting together into a “beginning and end” story of redemption, as told by the glorified, resurrected Savior from his heavenly perspective.

When first considering whether we should begin this study on Revelation, one of my great concerns was the “unknown ground” we would cover. I have never claimed to possess any deep or comprehensive understanding of the book, nor have I studied it in-depth. Though I was beginning to intuit the approach we’re now using (Jesus as the “Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end” of redemptive history), I still had countless more questions than answers. As I began to test the approach, I found myself making a little more sense of Revelation, but what excited me most was how the study of Revelation forced me to rethink the entire Bible and to view it as a comprehensive whole. The latter part of the previous sentence is why I decided to move forward with this study, whether “right” or “wrong,” and to see what happened. And I am beyond excited I took that risk and that you have been willing to join me!

If you have ever read crime novels (e.g., Sherlock Holmes, Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, etc.) or watched similar shows on television (e.g, Dateline, 60 Minutes, etc.), what is the one thing that draws you into the story? What is the singular underlying principle that engages you in the “mess”? Mystery!!!

Let’s define mystery. Here are three definitions by the Oxford English Dictionary that would have been used during the Reformation, when the Westminster Standards were written, and are still used by theologians today:

1. Mystical presence or nature; mystical significance. in (also through) his mystery: in or by its mystical presence or nature. in (a) mystery: mystically, symbolically; with hidden or mystical significance. Obsolete. (used ~1350~1628)
2. A religious truth known or understood only by divine revelation; esp. a doctrine of faith involving difficulties which human reason is incapable of solving. (~1384-present)
3. A hidden or secret thing; something inexplicable or beyond human comprehension; a person or thing evoking awe or wonder but not well known or understood; an enigma. (~1384-present)

Those definitions are different than the way we typically think about “mystery” in all other aspects of life. We assume that mysteries are unknowable in religious things, but that mysteries should be solved in all other aspects of life. At the very least, this represents a double-minded, unstable, and unwise view of mystery (James 1:5-8). But in the medieval world, as well as the ancient world, mysteries were not “unknowable.” Rather, they were learned by/through regular participartion and personal experience. Mysteries were meant to be learned and experienced, first, so they might be known and understood, second. Augustine said, “I believe in order that I might understand.” That is the mindset we should have about mysteries, generally, and about the mysteries of God, particularly.

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