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[[@page.2.13.8]]!!!! 2.13.8 - Genesis and Revelation as Bookends

Having explored the parallels between events in the book of Revelation and passages which speak of a future time of trouble for both the world and the Jews, we now expand our scope to consider the role which Revelation plays as an opposite "bookend" to Genesis.

"Ponder for a moment about the books you have in your study.

What keeps most of them in a tidy, neat row?

The bookends!

Consider the books of Genesis and Revelation.

They are the 'bookends' of the Word of God."1

The Book of Revelation is the sequel to the Book of Genesis, the two books together bounding all history and bounding all of God's revelations to mankind.

They constitute the alpha and omega of God's written Word, the Book of Beginnings and the Book of Unveilings.2

Given the extensive list of correlations which follow, it is hard to imagine how some in history could have questioned the role of the book of Revelation within the canon.

Once these relationships are seen, it becomes clear how important the book of Revelation is to the completion of God's revelation to man and how inadequate are the views which restrict the events of the book of Revelation to an exclusively first-century fulfillment.3

Many questions which are posed when interpreting Genesis can be easily furnished by an understanding of Revelation and vice versa.

For example, consider the creation of the sun and moon on day /four/ of creation week (Gen.

[[1:14-17|bible.1.1.14-1.1.17]])

whereas light is said to have been created on the /first/ day (Gen.

[[1:3|bible.1.1.3]]).

The oft-heard question is "how could there be light prior to the creation of the sun?"

Many elaborate theories about the sun and moon actually being created earlier than day four and then "unveiled" or made to appear on that day could be instantly disposed of by the study of the light source which John records in the eternal state (Rev.

[[21:23|bible.87.21.23]]+).4

Morris offers the following instructive comparisons between the probationary (and subsequently cursed) world described in Genesis and the eternal (and redeemed) world described in Revelation.5 Probationary versus Eternal World| Genesis (probationary world) | Revelation (eternal world) |

| Division of light and darkness (Gen.

[[1:4|bible.1.1.4]]).

| No night there (Rev.

[[21:25|bible.87.21.25]]+).

|

| Division of land and sea (Gen.

[[1:10|bible.1.1.10]]).

| No more sea (Rev.

[[21:1|bible.87.21.1]]+).

|

| Rule of sun and moon (Gen.

[[1:16|bible.1.1.16]]).

| No need of sun or moon (Rev.

[[21:23|bible.87.21.23]]+).

|

| First heavens and earth finished (Gen.

[[2:1-3|bible.1.2.1-1.2.3]]).

| New heaven and earth forever (Rev.

[[21:2|bible.87.21.2]]+).

|

| Man in a prepared garden (Gen.

[[2:8-9|bible.1.2.8-1.2.9]]).

| Man in a prepared city (Rev.

[[21:2|bible.87.21.2]]+).

|

| River flowing out of Eden (Gen.

[[2:10|bible.1.2.10]]).

| River flowing from God's throne (Rev.

[[22:1|bible.87.22.1]]+).

|

| Tree of life in the midst of the garden (Gen.

[[2:9|bible.1.2.9]]).

| Tree of life throughout the city (Rev.

[[22:2|bible.87.22.2]]+).

|

| Gold in the land (Gen.

[[2:12|bible.1.2.12]]).

| Gold in the city (Rev.

[[21:21|bible.87.21.21]]+).

|

| Bdellium and the onyx stone (Gen.

[[2:12|bible.1.2.12]]).

| All manner of precious stones (Rev.

[[21:19|bible.87.21.19]]+).

|

| God walking in the garden (Gen.

[[3:8|bible.1.3.8]]).

| God dwelling with His people (Rev.

[[21:3|bible.87.21.3]]+).

|

| The Spirit energizing (Gen.

[[1:2|bible.1.1.2]]).

| The Spirit inviting (Rev.

[[22:17|bible.87.22.17]]+).

|

| Bride formed for her husband (Gen.

[[2:21-23|bible.1.2.21-1.2.23]]).

| Bride adorned for her husband (Rev.

[[21:2|bible.87.21.2]]+).

|

| Command to multiply (Gen.

[[1:28|bible.1.1.28]]).

| Nations of the saved (Rev.

[[21:24|bible.87.21.24]]+).

|

| Garden accessible to the Liar (Gen.

[[3:1-5|bible.1.3.1-1.3.5]]).

| City closed to all liars (Rev.

[[21:27|bible.87.21.27]]+).

|

| Man in God's image (Gen.

[[1:27|bible.1.1.27]]).

| Man in God's presence (Rev.

[[21:3|bible.87.21.3]]+).

|

| Man the probationer (Gen.

[[2:17|bible.1.2.17]]).

| Man the heir (Rev.

[[21:7|bible.87.21.7]]+).

|

Cursed versus Redeemed World| Genesis (cursed world) | Revelation (redeemed world) |

| Cursed ground (Gen.

[[3:17|bible.1.3.17]]).

| No more curse (Rev.

[[22:3|bible.87.22.3]]+).

|

| Daily sorrow (Gen.

[[3:17|bible.1.3.17]]).

| No more sorrow (Rev.

[[21:4|bible.87.21.4]]+).

|

| Sweat on the face (Gen.

[[3:19|bible.1.3.19]]).

| No more tears (Rev.

[[21|bible.87.21.1]]+;[[4|bible.87.4.1]]+).

|

| Thorns and thistles (Gen.

[[3:18|bible.1.3.18]]).