Things that are going on behind the scene are always more interesting to those things in plain view. I have had the privilege of being backstage at theatrical and musical performances. The interaction between musicians and actors, the work-up, the make-up, the staging all add so much to the real knowledge of the performance.
When I read the Bible, I see the same happening. Reading Job’s story would not be nearly as interesting without the behind the scene’s dialogue of chapters 1 and 2. It would just be a terrible, unredeemable, painful tragedy. But, the overlay of the first two chapters gives us a hint that Job will make it through and that God will do something splendid in the end. He did. The same is true with virtually every story.
The story of the cross is no different. The apostles later give us the behind-the-scenes view of the cross, packing the whole drama with meaning and purpose. Without that knowledge, it all seems only a terrible injustice and waste. But, we know that more was going on that mere leader jealousy.
The Revelation of John does the same thing, but helps us a little less. It is not that it is unhelpful. In fact, it is very encouraging. It is not that the metaphoric language creates too many clouds. At least we get a flavor for heaven. But, it is not fully helpful in that we are the players and the play is unfolding before our eyes without the advantage of heaven’s entire history behind us. Similarly, we don’t have the personal contact with heaven’s environment- we haven’t been there. There is just too much going on behind-the-scenes for us to know how everything fits together: the timing of the death of our loved ones (some young, some old), their recognizability when we get there (new body, new name), their awareness of this world as they are active in that world (the continuity between this world and that without their experience of pain and sorrow), etc.
I would love to have a better behind-the-scenes view than I have with the theological knowledge available. But, I will have to suffice with piecing the details together between the Biblical and personal insights- the small windows- given to us at present. But, knowing the character of the One who wrote the play, I am excited beyond belief when I finally get to see what is happening behind-the-scenes.