The Literary Structure Of The Bible.

[dangerdan 0]

Here is a rough outline of the structure of the Bible;

Earth without form - the abyss (Gen. 1:1)Creation (Gen. 1, 2)

The fall from God's image (Gen. 3)
Death begins, a Redeemer is promised (Gen. 3:15)
Call to Abraham - a people chosen (Gen. 12)
God's people in slavery; escape to the wilderness (Ex.)
Restoration of knowledge about God's plan � His law (Ex.)
Christ introduced in the sanctuary system (Lev.)
God's people in captivity for unfaithfulness (Ezek., Dan. and others)
Christ revealed in human flesh (Gospels)

Heaven's greatest gift � redemption through the cross!

Christ revealed through the Holy Spirit (Acts)
Medieval persecution; church in the wilderness (Rev. 12, 13)
Restoration of lost truth � the Reformation (Rev. 12)
Christ seen in the heavenly sanctuary � Judgment message (Rev. 14)
God's people threatened; forbidden to buy or sell; endurance (Rev. 13; 14:12)
Call of the mighty angel; Elijah, Appeal to God's people to come out (Rev. 18)
Resurrection of the righteous to immortal life (1 Thess. 4)
Restoration; incorruptible bodies; like Christ's glorious body (1 Cor. 15)

Earth desolate for 1000 years; Satan in the abyss (Rev. 20)
Creation of new heavens and new earth (Rev. 21)

Now the first thing you may notice is that it starts and ends with the same two steps; nothingness followed by the creation of the heavens and the earth. It is symbolic that the start and end should be the same point, that the story should go 'full circle'.

In Revelation 22:13 God says

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

The structure of the Bible goes beyond this though, the story peaks with Christ's redemption on the cross, but look at the steps that preceded and proceeded this pinnacle. Christ revealed - in human flesh and Holy spirit - is symbolic of the Holy Trinity (a phrase not mentioned in the Bible) as represented by the Father (God's redemption), the Son (Jesus in human flesh) and the Holy Spirit (Jesus following his ascension).


This mirrored, chiastic, literary structure of the Bible is something I find particularly interesting though I am not religious.

[inverse_bloom 0]

I began reading the genesis of my brothers bible just out of curiosity, i think after about 20 pages i just put it down. (Please, no offense to anyone that's just what 'I' thought).