Part 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: Revelation
1. Revelation in General. The discussion of religion naturally leads on to
that of revelation as its origin. If God had not revealed Himself, religion would
have been impossible. Man could not possibly have had any knowledge of God, if
God had not made Himself known. Left to himself, he would never have discovered
God. We distinguish between God's revelation in nature and His revelation in
Scripture.
Atheists and Agnostics, of course, do not believe in revelation. Pantheists
sometimes speak of it, though there is really no place for it in their system
of thought. And Deists admit the revelation of God in nature, but deny the
necessity, the reality, and even the possibility of any special revelation such
as we have in Scripture. We believe in both general and special revelation.
2. General Revelation. The general revelation of God is prior to His special
revelation in point of time. It does not come to man in the form of verbal
communications, but in the facts, the forces, and the laws of nature, in the
constitution and operation of the human mind, and in the facts of experience
and history. The Bible refers to it in such passages as Ps. 19:1, 2; Rom. 1:19,
20; 2:14, 15.
a. Insufficiency of general revelation. While Pelagians, Rationalists, and
Deists regard this revelation as adequate for our present needs, Roman
Catholics and Protestants are agreed that it is not sufficient. It was obscured
by the blight of sin resting on God's beautiful creation. The handwriting of
the Creator was not entirely erased, but became hazy and indistinct. It does
not now convey any fully reliable knowledge of God and spiritual things, and
therefore does not furnish us a trustworthy foundation on which we can build
for our eternal future. The present religious confusion of those who would base
their religion on a purely natural basis clearly proves its insufficiency. It
does not even afford an adequate basis for religion in general, much less for
true religion. Even gentile nations appeal to some supposed special revelation.
And, finally, it utterly fails to meet the spiritual needs of sinners. While it
conveys some knowledge of the goodness, the wisdom, and the power of God, it conveys
no knowledge whatever of Christ as the only way of salvation.
b. Value of general revelation. This does not mean, however, that general
revelation has no value at all. It accounts for the true elements that are
still found in heathen religions. Due to this revelation gentiles feel
themselves to be the offspring of God, Acts 17:28, seek after God if haply they
might find Him, Acts 17:27, see in nature God's everlasting power and divinity,
Rom. 1:19, 20, and do by nature the things of the law, Rom. 2:14. Though they
live in the darkness of sin and ignorance, and pervert the truth of God, they
still share in the illumination of the Word, John 1:9, and in the general
operations of the Holy Spirit, Gen. 6:3. Moreover, the general revelation of
God also forms the background for His special revelation. The latter could not
be fully understood without the former. Science and history do not fail to
illumine the pages of the Bible.
3. Special Revelation. In addition to the revelation of God in nature we
have His special revelation which is now embodied in Scripture. The Bible is
preeminently the book of God's special revelation, a revelation in which facts
and words go hand in hand, the words interpreting the facts and the facts
giving substance to the words.
a. Necessity of special revelation. This special revelation became necessary
through the entrance of sin into the world. God's handwriting in nature was
obscured and corrupted, and man was stricken with spiritual blindness, became
subject to error and unbelief, and now in his blindness and perverseness fails
to read aright even the remaining traces of the original revelation, and is
unable to understand any further revelation of God. Therefore it became
necessary that God should re-interpret the truths of nature, should provide a
new revelation of redemption, and should illumine the mind of man and redeem it
from the power of error.
b. Means of special revelation. In giving His special or supernatural
revelation God used different kinds of means, such as (1) Theophanies or
visible manifestations of God. He revealed His presence in fire and clouds of
smoke, Ex. 8:2; 33:9: Ps. 78:14; 99:7; in stormy winds, Job 38:1; Ps .18:10-16,
and in a "still small voice," I Kings 19:12. These were all tokens of
His presence, revealing something of His glory. Among the Old Testament
appearances those of the Angel of Jehovah, the second Person of the Trinity,
occupied a prominent place, Gen. 16:13; 31:11; Ex. 23:20-23; Mal. 3:1. The
highest point of the personal appearance of God among men was reached in the
incarnation of Jesus Christ. In Him the Word became flesh and tabernacled among
us, John 1:14. (2) Direct communications. Sometimes God spoke to men in an
audible voice, as He did to Moses and the children of Israel, Deut. 5:4, and
sometimes He suggested His messages to the prophets by an internal operation of
the Holy Spirit, I Pet. 1:11. Moreover, He revealed Himself in dreams and
visions, and by means of Urim and Thummim, Num. 12:6; 27:21; Isa. 6. And in the
New Testament Christ appears as the great Teacher sent from God to reveal the
Father's will; and through His Spirit the apostles become the organs of further
revelations, John 14:26; I Cor. 2:12, 13; I Thess. 2:13. (3) Miracles. The
miracles of the Bible should never be regarded as mere marvels which fill men
with amazement, but as essential parts of God's special revelation. They are
manifestations of the special power of God, tokens of His special presence, and
often serve to symbolize spiritual truths. They are signs of the coming Kingdom
of God and of the redemptive power of God. The greatest miracle of all is the
coming of the Son of God in the flesh. In Him the whole creation of God is
being restored and brought back to its original beauty, I Tim. 3:16; Rev. 21:5.
c. The character of special revelation. This special revelation of God is a
revelation of redemption. It reveals the plan of God for the redemption of
sinners and of the world, and the way in which this plan is realized. It is
instrumental in renewing man; it illumines his mind and inclines his will to
that which is good; it fills him with holy affections, and prepares him for his
heavenly home. Not only does it bring us a message of redemption; it also
acquaints us with redemptive facts. It not only enriches us with knowledge, but
also transforms lives by changing sinners into saints. This revelation is
clearly progressive. The great truths of redemption appear but dimly at first,
but gradually increase in clearness, and finally stand out in the New Testament
in all their fullness and beauty.
To memorize. Scripture passages bearing on:
a. General Revelation:
Ps. 8:1. "0 Jehovah, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the
earth."
Ps. 19:1, 2. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament
showeth His handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night
showeth wisdom."
Rom. 1:20. "For the invisible things of Him since the creation of the
world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even
His everlasting power and divinity." Rom. 2:14, 15. "For when
Gentiles that have not the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not
having the law, are a law unto themselves; in that they show the work of the
law written in their hearts, their consciences bearing witness therewith, and
their thoughts one with another accusing or else excusing them."
Num. 12:6-8. "And He said, Hear now my words: if there be a prophet
among you, I Jehovah will make myself known unto him in a vision, I will speak
with him in a dream. My servant Moses is not so; he is faithful in all my
house: with him will I speak mouth to mouth."
Heb. 1:1. "God having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the
prophets by divers portions and in divers manners, hath in the end of these
days spoken unto us in His Son."
II Pet. 1:21. "For no prophecy ever came by the will of man: but men
spake from God, being moved by the Holy Spirit."
For Further Study:
a. Mention some of the appearances of the Angel of Jehovah. Can he have been
a mere angel? Gen. 16:13; 31:11, 13; 32:28; Ex. 23:20-23.
b. Name some examples of revelation by dreams. Gen. 28:10- 17; 31:24;
41:2-7; Judg. 7:13; I Kings 8:5-9; Dan. 2:1-3; Matt. 2:13, 19, 20.
c. Mention some cases in which God revealed Himself in visions. Isa. 6;
Ezek. 1-3; Dan. 2:19; 7:1-14; Zech. 2-6.
d. Can you infer from the following passages what the miracles recorded
reveal? Ex. 10:1, 2; Deut. 8:3; John 2:1-11; 6:1- 14, 25-35; 9:1-7; 11:17-44.
Questions for Review
1. How do general and special revelation differ?
2. Where do we meet with the denial of all revelation of God?
3. What is the position of the Deists as to revelation?
4. What is the nature of general revelation?
5. Why is it insufficient for our special needs, and what value does if have?
6. Why was God's special revelation necessary?
7. What means did God employ in His special revelations?
8. What are the characteristics of special revelation?