Jewels and Treasures From the Past
About fifty years ago the theological community was confronted with an allegedly new discipline, named Biblical Theology. This was contrasted with the discipline of Systematic Theology. Systematics dealt with the content and structure of biblical doctrines (e.g. divine revelation, the Incarnation, etc). Biblical Theology, on the other hand, dealt with the progressive accomplishment of redemption and revelation.
It turns out, however, that one of America's greatest theologians, Jonathan Edwards (working and writing in the mid-eighteenth century) was way ahead of the curve. His book, The History of Redemption remains to this day one of the best works on biblical theology ever printed.
We reproduce his biblical-theological commentary on the Flood as a prime example.
Satan seems to have been in a dreadful rage just before the flood, and his rage then doubtless was, as it always has been, chiefly against the church of God. He had drawn almost all the world to be enlisted under his banner. We read that "the earth was filled with violence"; and doubtless that violence was chiefly against the church, in fulfilment of what was foretold, "I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed."
And their enmity and violence was so great, and the enemies of the church so numerous, the whole world being against it, that it was come to the last extremity. Noah's reproofs and his preaching of righteousness were utterly disregarded. God's Spirit had striven with them a hundred and twenty years, but in vain; the church was reduced to such narrow limits as to be confined to one family. Neither was there a prospect of any thing else but of their totally swallowing it up in a very little time; and so wholly destroying that small root that had the blessing in it, from whence the Redeemer was to proceed.
And therefore, God's destroying those enemies of the church by the flood, belongs to this design of redemption; for it was one thing that was done in fulfilment of the covenant of grace, as it was revealed to Adam: "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head." Thus was the seed of the serpent, in the midst of their most violent rage, disappointed, and church delivered when in the utmost peril. . . .
By the deluge, the enemies of God's people were dispossessed, and the whole earth given to Noah and his family to enjoy in quiet; as God made room for the Israelites in Canaan, by casting out their enemies from before them. And God's thus taking the possession of the enemies of the church, and giving it all to his church, was agreeable to that promise of the covenant of grace:
For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. [Psalm 37:9-11]
[Jonathan Edwards, The History of Redemption (London: The Religious Tract Society, 1836), p. 42f]
The essence of biblical theological exposition is seeing the end in the beginning, and the beginning in the end--along with all point in-between. When the Bible is taught and expounded in such a way, the hearts of God's people "burn within them" as it were--and as was the case on that road to Emmaus so long ago.
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