Divine revelation
Revelation is supernatural communication from God to man, either oral
or written, though usually restricted to its written aspect, that is, to
the whole contents of Holy Scripture. It is the discovery by God to man
of himself; God showing or unveiling himself: that is, his Being, his
moral will and his redemption in Christ. This is over and above of what
he has made known by the light of nature (creation: his book with
pictures) and reason (the speaking voice within me, or conscience).
Revelation is not only possible, for God can and does always reach
his ends, but it also necessary if we are to attain the true knowledge
of God and salvation. Man is left inexcusable by the light of nature
(Romans 1), but as Calvin said, he is like a short-sighted and
bleary-eyed man who cannot see clearly. He needs spectacles. The dense
ignorance, low morality and abject helplessness of man in his natural
state demands the revelation embedded and contained in the whole of
Scripture.
All Scripture is revelation. Only divine revelation can remedy man's
natural alienation from God (Job 31:35). Man needs a final authority for
creed and conduct, for faith and practice: he has it in Scripture.
Divine revelation is made certain for us by the attestation of
miracles and prophecy. Miracles are the natural accompaniments and
attestations of new communications from God. They generally certify to
the truth of doctrine and the commissioning of the prophet (Deuteronomy
13.; Matthew 11:21,22; Luke 7:22; John 5:36; the starting point,
according to the Lord Jesus, is to believe in his works, John
10:25,26,37,38; 15:24).
Prophecy also attests to revelation (Isaiah 41:21-23), for no human
being can foretell future events with precision, as the Bible is
confirmed to have done for many hundreds of times.
So revelation is the fact of God speaking. But how did he speak. He
spoke by the prophets, ultimately in his Son (Hebrews 1:1-3); and when
it came for his message to be inscripturated, he inspired the message (1
Timothy 3:15-16). Inspiration may be defined as that operation of the
divine Spirit which renders a speaker of writer infallible in the
communication of truth whether or not previously known.
Diverse means of revelation have been employed by God: through nature
(Romans 1:18-21; Psalms 19); through providential dealings (Romans
8:28); through miracles (John 2:11); through direct communication (Acts
22:17-21); through Christ (John 1:14; and in the ultimate sense, through
the Bible (1 John 5:9-12), for no knowledge of Christ (who is the image
of God) can be acquired except through the Scripture, which testifies of
Him (John 5).
Ways of self-revelation Throughout the history of man, God has
revealed Himself in various ways and through different means.
Nature
Natural revelation can never lead a soul to a knowledge of salvation
and the true God; yet it is not valueless. All true elements in pagan
religions are extracted from this natural revelation. Because of this
natural revelation, the heathen feel that they are the offspring of God
(cf. Acts 17:28), u still have an instinct after God, though warped and
corrupted by sin (Acts 17:27). Man sees in nature, the created order, a
natural exhibition, continues and powerful, of the Deity (Romans
1:19,20; Psalm 19:1ff).
Man is thus rendered inexcusable by this communication from God, for
though it is wordless, it testifies eloquently of God: something made
must have a Maker - this is the unmistakable and inevitable conclusion
one must come to when he considers "the work of his fingers."
Self-consciousness
Man knows in himself, intuitively that he is obliged to do moral good
and avoid moral evil. The work of the law is embedded in their
conscience. Even though man may be ignorant of the Ten Commandments, he
still feels and knows the difference between good and evil; and knows
that good is commendable and evil will be punished (Romans 2:14). Though
man live in the darkness of sin and ignorance, and twist the truth of
God, he still has a certain illumination (John 1:9); and is subject to
the general operations of the Spirit who restrains sin (Genesis 6:3).
Such a constitution of man, even in his fallen state, is the link that
God uses to bring him in contact with his special revelation. Man still
has a reasonable soul, plus an intellect, and if and when given the
ability to respond by faith, he will.
All the same, the fact that man has an inherent yearning to worship a
superior, that man is by nature an homo religiosus. In itself this is a
conscious and individual revelation that God is there.
History
History should be properly viewed as the divine execution of God's
eternal decree. Throughout the centuries God's secret will is unfolding:
that is exactly what makes the study of history worthwhile - we can
learn much from history. God has a wise programme, and Scripture
abundantly testifies to it (Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Daniel 2:31-35; 7:1-28;
9:24-27; Hosea 3:4,5; Matthew 23:37-25:46; Acts 15:13-18; Romans
11:13-29; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). God's purposes are progressively
unfolding before our very eyes, and since God's ultimate purpose is that
He may be glorified in His Son, the firstborn among many brethren, he is
working all things for the good of those who love him (Romans 8:28). God
is dealing with man: initially in his innocence, then in his sin and in
his redemption from sin. He made the nations as nations, portioning them
lands for their habitation (Acts 17), and they all exist because of Him
and his providential mercy.
Revelation is derived from the Greek 'apokalupsis,' meaning
unveiling, disclosing. It is the making known of something previously
unknown, and that by God. Revelation not only tells of God, but clearly
fixes the fact of monotheism, and that the Triune Creator is the only
one to whom worship and adoration is to be addressed, and there is none
other like him. God did not restrict himself to one method of speaking.
By his multi-variegated wisdom he employed a range of revelational ways
and means, among which we may mention the following:
Theophanies
Literally meaning "God-appearances." Such occurrences
happened before the Incarnation of Christ, and it was actually the Son
of God who appeared as the Messenger of Jehovah, speaking and bringing a
message from Jehovah, and yet claiming for himself divine prerogatives,
titles, and works. Thus God appeared to Hagar, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
Moses and many Old Testament saints.
Visions
God granted visions to Ezekiel, Daniel, Isaiah and others. Perhaps
the most renowned and impressive is the vision that Isaiah saw of the
pre-incarnate Christ in the Temple (Isaiah 6). John recounts that the
prophet saw Christ's glory (John 12).
Dreams
Both Joseph (the patriarch) and Joseph (husband of Mary, Jesus'
mother) experienced several dreams in which God conveyed to them his
will for their future. He communicated to them at least a part of his
plan. Obviously everybody dreams, but not all dreams are revelations
from God!
Miracles
C.S. Lewis described miracles as the sound of a bell that attracts
attention before a speech is made. Miracles attest to God's revelation
and are themselves revelation, though they have to be explained and
interpreted. The resurrection of Christ is a unique miracle, but it
needs to be interpreted, and that's what the Bible provides. Christ
himself explained his own miracles most of the time (cf. John 6).
Miracles are authenticating signs from God, confirming his prophet as
really a prophet sent from him.
Urim and Thummim
The Hebrew behind these words signify "lights and
perfections." They were distinct from the gems on the breastplate
(Leviticus 8:8). God answered questions by means of the Urim and Thummim
(Numbers 27:21; Deuteronomy 33:8; 1 Samuel 28:6). As King over his
theocratic nation God could be consulted directly and He would direct
his people in peace.
Conclusion The former ways of God's revealing his will unto his
people (through visions, dreams, theophanies, and so on) have now
ceased. Those means were piecemeal, fragmentary, and irresistibly
leading forward to something better, that is, the appearing of his Son,
the Word (Hebrews 1:1-3). We are therefore to resist strenuously the
temptation, so prevalent in Pentecostal and charismatic circles, of
seeking to know God's will apart from the Scripture.
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