Thursday Theology: Bibliology Lesson #1: Revelation

REVELATION

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son”

Hebrews 1:1


Revelation refers to the means in which God reveals Himself to man through either General Revelation or Special Revelation.    

I. GENERAL REVELATION is God’s revelation of Himself to all people through:

 A.  Creation: 

 "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork. Ps. 19:1

 "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. 1:20.

   Robert Duncan Culver:

       “The Bible is very clear as to the fact that nature does have something to say to people about their Creator. Some of the affirmations are clothed in the beautiful poetry of the Psalms. Psalm 104 speaks of the clouds as God’s garments (vs2), and of beams of light shining through them as beams of His chamber (vs3). The rest of the Psalm declares how, in detail, all aspects of nature are God’s work in creation, preservation and government. They are all including mankind and human works, God’s works (vv. 24, 31). The Psalmist’s reflections on nature call attention to God’s greatness, His honor and majesty (v: cf. 86:8) God’s manifold wisdom and great riches (v24); His eternal glory (v.31); and God’s joy in His works in nature. Just as man, made in God’s likeness, rejoices in doing and making things, so the Creator rejoices eternally in His works. The discerning believer, by means of this revelation, understands his dependence on God and the importance of praiseful worship of God while life shall last (v.33). He also understands the unnaturalness of the presense of sin and of sinners in God’s perfect creation.". (1)

B. Conscience:

 "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."   Rom. 2:14, 15.
   
 Martyn Lloyd-Jones:

    “Now the conscience is a kind of voice, a monitor which tells us that certain things are wrong and that we should not do them. Whether we like it or not, it is there, and it expresses its opinion and it condemns us when we do wrong… The conscience is something that is mainly negative. …A conscience can be feeble, it can be unenlightened, and I can educate I, I can teach it and train it; but whatever state m conscience may be in, it is never right for me to do anything against it." (2)

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II. SPECIAL REVELATION is how God has chosen to reveal Himself through supernatural means.    Examples of special revelation include:

Theophanies, which are visible manifestations of Christ in the Old Testament. (Genesis 18:1; , Genesis 34:24-30;  Joshua 5:13-15)

Through fire and pillar of clouds:  (Exodus 3:1-4; Exodus 33:9; Psalm 78:14; Psalm 99:7)

Direct communications.   Sometimes God spoke to men in an audible voice. (I Samuel 3:1-10; Numbers 1:1; Acts 9:4-5)

Dreams, Miracles, and Visions:  (Genesis  37:5-8; 1 Kings 3:5; Genesis 15:1; Ezekiel 8:3-4; Daniel 7; 2 Corinthians 12:1-7).

The Written Word Of God:

 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” II Timothy 3:16

Through His Son, Jesus Christ

 “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son” Hebrews 1:1

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The Theology of BB Warfield: by Fred G. Zaspel:

“‘Were there no ‘general revelation’ there would be no religion in the world of any kind: were there no ‘special revelation’ there would be no Christianity’. ‘Without special revelation, general revelation would be for sinful men incomplete and ineffective’. Special revelation builds on general revelation. But more specifically, special revelation is occasioned by the need that arose because of human sin, and its purpose is to meet these new circumstances.   To redeem fallen man a new method and a new content of revelation was required…It is special revelation that is designed to meet the sinner’s need and to disclose God in grace.” (3)

Charles Spurgeon:

"It is impossible that there should be a God at all except the God of revelation.   A god who can be fashioned by our own thoughts is no more a god than the image manufactured or produced by our own hands.    The true God must of necessity be his own revealer."

BB Warfield:

    "What is important to recognize is that the Scriptures themselves represent the Scriptures as not merely containing here and there the record of revelations - "words of God," tōrōth - given by God, but as themselves, in all their extent, a revelation, an authoritative body of gracious instructions from God;"  (4)

    CAVEAT:

"And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries

 and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,

 but have not love, I am nothing."

I Corinthians 13:2

        Let us remember that  the end result of  acquiring Biblical knowledge should always  produce in us worship, obedience and  love.     John Frame warned his incoming seminary students of this danger and every believer can benefit from his words:

"“Simple believers” often know God better than many learned theologians. Many who lack formal theological training are better elders and deacons than any young seminarian could be. They may know less about academic theology than the young seminarian, but they may well know more of what’s important, in greater depth and perspective, and better how to apply it to life." (5)

 "The Biblical Idea of Revelation" by BB Warfield ONLINE  HERE                     
 "Why I Trust the Bible" - John MacArthur (1987)                                                 
 "Scripture and Truth" - D. A. Carson and J. D. Woodbridge   (1983)               
 "General Introduction to the Bible" - Geisler and Nix  (1986)*                                    
       *An online summary of Revelation, Inspiration and Illumination  from the above book
        can be read ONLINE  HERE

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(1) Robert Duncan Culver; Systematic Theology, Biblical & Historical pg 47

(2) Martyn Lloyd-Jones; Romans Exposition of Chapters 2:1-3:20; pg. 119

(3) The Theology of BB Warfield: by Fred G. Zaspel ; Crossway

(4) "The Biblical Idea of Revelation" by BB Warfield
(5) "Studying Theology As A Servant Of Jesus" by John Frame

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