Gradual revelation

[tonychanyt]

Hebrews‬ ‭8‬:‭

7‬ For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

If God is perfect, why must God make a second covenant? Did He make a mistake on the first covenant, which motivated Him to create another one?"

No, this has to do with God's modus operandi of gradual revelation, also known as progressive revelation. It is the theological concept that God's plans were not revealed all at once, but gradually over time throughout biblical history. This concept helps explain the developmental nature of some theological ideas.

Some examples of gradual revelation in the Bible:

• The understanding of God evolved from early Israelite monolatry to explicit monotheism.
• Messianic prophecies became increasingly specific from Genesis to the later prophets.
• The concept of the afterlife developed from vague references in the early Old Testament to clearer teachings in later prophets and the New Testament.
• God's gradual revelation to Abram
• God's gradual revelation to Joseph

This concept recognized that God communicated in ways appropriate to the recipients' cultural and historical context. God's revelation unfolded over time, becoming clearer and more complete as history progressed. The revelation culminated in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:

1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.