I’ve been doing some thinking on the chiastic structure of the Bible. If you’re not familiar with chiasmus, you should be – check it out on Wikipedia. It is a fascinating device that is often found in the text of Scripture, and can help clarify difficult parallelisms.
A Before time – the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world to redeem a people to Himself
B At the beginning of time – the Garden of Eden, in perfection, with man who was created in the image of God, but with the ability to sin
C During time – God reveals a covenant to save His people – progressively [to the Jews] through Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets
D The Law demands perfect righteousness
X The center of all History is the event of the Lamb slain
D’ The perfect righteousness of the Law is fulfilled
C’ During time – the New Covenant, as the fulfilment the old, is fully revealed to the people of God, Jew and Gentile alike through the writings of the apostles
B’ At the end of time – the New Heavens and the New Earth, where that “Garden” is restored, and our nature is restored, this time lacking the ability to sin because of that Lamb slain!
A’ After time – the eternal worship of the Lamb slain by those whom He redeemed