The Fullness of Revelation
Recently, I decided to give my backyard a makeover. It was an ambitious project that was desperately needed but would take time. More than simply a few days or even a few weeks — we’re talking months! It involved weeding flower beds, picking up debris, cutting down trees, removing rocks, and eventually installing artificial grass. Each day, I tended to garden work. And, as the summer months rolled by, little by little, my backyard was transformed.
The revelation of God is like this example. The Bible was not given to us all at once, but over a long period. As the years (indeed centuries) rolled by, God revealed more about Himself and His purpose for the world. The product was the collection of sacred texts that make up our Bible. Yet, it’s important to note that the Bible is not simply an anthology of disconnected stories like the ones in an English Literature textbook, but rather, it is one cohesive story. The Bible tells a grand narrative about God and His people Israel. And, like all good stories, it moves toward a climax.
The Book of Hebrews provides a brief overview of the various ways in which God revealed Himself throughout history. “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son, whom he appointed heir of all things.” (Hebrews 1:1-2)
The “Son,” who is the “heir of all things,” is Jesus Christ. He embodies the fullness of God’s revelation and is the climactic figure in God’s story. God may have spoken in various ways in the past, but the pinnacle of God’s revelation is the person of Jesus Christ. He is the greatest and fullest expression of God.
There is a lot of noise around us. There is no shortage of sources to turn to as we search for meaning and long for contentment. Even for Christians, there can be a tendency to search for something more, but the Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the fullness of God’s revelation. In Him are “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Colossians 2:3)
And while the Bible wasn’t meant to tell us everything, it informs us of the most essential things about ourselves and God. So, if you find yourself searching for something more — I invite you to refocus your search and fix your gaze on the One who is the source of all that is good and lifegiving.
This will be a lifelong endeavor, but one that brings meaning, contentment and hope.
