Canonical Bookends

One of the points Michael Kruger makes in Canon Revisited: Establishing the Origins and Authority of the New Testament Books is that Genesis and Revelation form an inclusio (Look it up!) for the canon. The evidence he gives includes a list of connections between Genesis and Revelation.

1. Genesis begins with the creation of the “heavens and earth” (1:1ff.); Revelation ends with re-creation of the “heaven and earth” (21:1).
2. Genesis begins with the theme of paradise in the garden (2:8ff.); Revelation ends with the paradise of heaven (21:4).
3. Genesis begins with the theme of marriage (2:8); Revelation ends with the great wedding of the Lamb (21:9).
4. Genesis begins with a focus on the serpent’s deception (3:1ff.); Revelation ends with the serpent’s destruction (20:10).
5. Genesis begins with the curse being put upon the world (3:14ff.): Revelation ends with the curse being lifted (22:3).
6. Genesis begins by describing the creation of day, night, and the oceans (1:3, 10, 14); Revelation ends with no more need for day (sun), or night, or oceans (21:1; 22:5).
7. Genesis begins with the “tree of life” among the people of God (2:9); Revelation ends with the “tree of life” among the people of God (22:2).
8. Genesis begins with God dwelling with his people (2:8; 3:8); Revelation ends with God finally dwelling with his people again (21:3). 

A few years ago I traced the theme of light through the Bible and noticed that it started at the beginning Genesis and finished at the end of Revelation. You can see from the list above that light isn’t the only theme that unfold at the beginning of our canon and wraps up at the end of it. Altogether, it’s compelling confirmation of the internal unity of the canon of Scripture.