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Sunday, April 29, 2012

Biblical beginnings and endings

Revelation 22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen

We have been studying various principles or "laws of mention" that can be used in tracing themes through the scriptures.  So far we have looked at:

1. The Law of first mention
2. The law of illustrative mention
3. The law of progressive mention
4. The law of full mention

The fifth and final principle in our "5 laws of Bible study series" is the "Law of final mention".  As the name suggests, it is where the Bible makes "final mention" of an idea or concept.  Several days ago when we began this blog series, I talked about how a "first mention" is like the "seed-form" of that truth or concept.  With that being the case, the final mention functions like the full and mature stage of that idea.  Like an acorn to an oak tree, so it is with a "first" mention to that of a "final mention". 

Below is a list of some of the "first mentions" and "last mentions" in the scriptures. 

a. God's kind of Love first mentioned - Genesis 22:2 seen in the giving of a son
    God's kind of Love final mention - Revelation 20:9 seen in the coming of the Son

b. God's word or speaking first mention - Genesis 1:3 
    God's word or speaking final mention - Revelation 22:21

c. Mercy or Grace first mentioned - Genesis 6:9
    Mercy or Grace final mention - Revelation 22:21

d. Jesus Christ in the flesh first mentioned - Matthew 1:21
    Jesus Christ still in the flesh, now glorified, final mention - Revelation 22:21

If you notice, in all of those final mentions, Jesus Christ is connected to all of them.  If find it no coincidence, since the scriptures do point to Him!  If anything, the law of final mention should lead you to a fuller understanding of the written word - the Bible, and the Living Word - Jesus Christ.